Abdelhak Nouri ‘cried tears of joy’ when Van de Beek picked No 34 shirt at Man United

In honour of Abdelhak Nouri, Manchester United new signing Donny Van De Beek decided to choose the number 34 as his jersey number at his new club. Van de Beek decided to wear the No 34 shirt at Manchester United as a tribute to his former Ajax team-mate Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered brain damage after having a heart attack during a game in 2017.

Abdelhak Nouri ‘cried tears of joy’ when Van de Beek picked No. 34 shirt

Nouri suffered a cardiac arrhythmia in a pre-season clash vs Werder Bremen and was in a coma for two years and nine months after the tragic incident. In tribute to his former team-mate, Donny van de Beek picked jersey number 34 at his new club. However, this will not be the first instance of such a tribute to Abdelhak Nouri. Several players who played with Nouri and left Ajax have also taken the No.34 shirt at their new clubs as a tribute. Amin Younes, Justin Kluivert and Joel Veltman have all picked the No 34 shirt at their respective clubs.

Also Read | Donny Van De Beek Picks Jersey No. 34 For Manchester United In Honour Of Abdelhak Nouri

Speaking to Dutch public broadcaster NOS, Abdelhak Nouri's father revealed that Donny van de Beek had called him and asked if he was okay with Van de Beek playing with the number 34 jersey. His response to it was: "And I said he should. I can only be proud of that, it's a nice gesture, very special for us."

According to Sports Witness, Abdelhak Nouri's father further stated: "Appie's (Abdelhak Nouri) eyes looked very sharp suddenly. He had tears of joy on his cheeks and was clearly moved when he heard Donny's voice. Donny is like a son to us, everyone at our house was very emotional, happy with Donny's wonderful transfer. It was a special day."

Also Read | Van De Beek Already Feels At 'home', Looking Forward To Join The Team In Manchester

This special gesture of friendship from Donny has left Man United fans emotional. Nouri was one of the most promising young talents that progressed through Ajax's academy. He grew up alongside Van de Beek and the pair have remained close friends. Van de Beek has now penned a five-year deal with Man United as he looks to fuel Man United's push for titles.

Also Read | Virgil Van Dijk Hails Dutch Teammate Donny Van De Beek's Man United Move As 'great Step'

Also Read | Man United Transfer News: Arsenal Legend Bergkamp Convinced Van De Beek To Join Red Devils

Image credits: Adidas UK, Van de Beek Twitter