Van De Beek honours Nouri by wearing shirt number 34

United’s first signing of the season, Donny Van De Beek revealed that he would be wearing shirt number 34 to honour Ajax’s former star Abdelhak Nouri. The five-year-deal was finalized at £34.1m with the chances of rising to £38.5m.

23-year-old Nouri had suffered permanent brain damage on the field in 2014. Van De Beek, a former Ajax player, explained his reason for choosing Nouri’s 34 shirt number as he wanted to honour their friendship and wanted good memories attached to the number.

The midfielder played a vital role in Ajax’s last year’s Champions League semi-finals, as well as his performance in the Eredivisie and in Europe, were commendable. Both the player and United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have expressed their delight with the final outcome.

Van De Beek would be joining the Red Devils after the Netherlands football team’s upcoming Nations League doubleheader with Poland and Italy.