Manchester United agree deal with Ajax for versatile defender Daley Blind

Daley Blind

Zee Media Bureau/Rajdeep Saha

New Delhi: English giants Manchester United have agreed a fee with Ajax for versatile Netherlands international Daley Blind. The left-back who can also play as a defensive midfielder, was in Louis van Gaal's World Cup squad.

Personal terms are still to be agreed but if the deal does go through he will be United's fifth summer signing. Earlier, Blind was open to a move to Manchester United after the club was reportedly linked with signing him. Last week his agent had said United were yet to make an official bid.

The 24-year old will follow the likes of Luke Shaw, Ander Hererra, Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo. United have already spent over £130m this summer, including a British record £59.7m on Argentina midfielder Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid.

The Old Trafford club bought the other three players for a combined £72m this summer. Blind offers a good solution in the coming time if not an immediate fix to United's problems. He will look to provide competition to Luke Shaw on the left hand side. The added feature is he can fit into midfield as a defensive player and that is good news for United who lack dynamism in the centre of the park.

Marcos Rojo too can play as a left-back but Louis van Gall will use him mostly as a central defender. The positive news in the United camp this term is the versatility of the players they have signed.

United have been linked with Blind throughout the summer but Ajax director of football Marc Overmars said he was reluctant to sell him unless the Premier League side met their valuation, reportedly in the region of £14m. The complete deal will likely be concluded within Monday before the summer transfer window closes.

United are also searching for a midfielder and the likes of William Carvalho, Nigel de Jong are doing the rounds following their failure in signing Juventus star, Arturo Vidal.