According to LÉquipe, Lorient turned down the opportunity to complete a late loan move for Donny Van de Beek (26) from Manchester United on deadline day due to the player’s attitude towards the club. Les Merlus agreed terms on a loan move for the Dutch international with the Manchester club in mid-August.
Despite United sanctioning a loan move for Van de Beek, the former Ajax midfielder refused to speak to representatives of Lorient and the move seemingly collapsed. As the clock began to tick towards the end of the window, the 26-year-old’s agents contacted representatives of the Breton club to try and reopen discussions over a potential loan move.
Bemused by the initial treatment of Donny van de Beek towards the club when transfer negotiations began, Lorient closed the door on a potential loan move and the former Everton loanee looks set to remain in Manchester until at least the January transfer window. Instead of signing van de Beek, Lorient opted to sign former Chelsea and Monaco midfielder Tiémoué Bakayoko on a free transfer.
