‘Donny, one of us,’ read a banner unfurled by the group who, amid billowing flare smoke, chanted for the 23-year-old midfielder who had called the Johan Cruyff Arena home until his move to Old Trafford a week earlier.
“That kind of farewell has happened a few times before from Ajax supporters when a player has left,”
says Dutch football journalist Elko Born,
“but they have a really special relationship with Donny van de Beek. He’s come from the club’s Academy, he comes across as just a really normal, regular guy and people have always liked that about him.