Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp has opened up on the relationship between Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek his daughter Estelle.
United and Arsenal have had an intense rivalry over the years, but there is finally a love story between the two clubs - of sorts.
Bergkamp eldest daughter, Estelle, was born in London, and has since moved to Manchester where she has become an entrepreneur.
Estelle has also struck up a relationship with United midfielder Van de Beek - but luckily for Bergkamp, he was already familiar with the former Ajax man.
“In my first season when I became a youth coach, Donny was in my team when he was 11 or 12,” Bergkamp told The Athletic with a chuckle.
“Then I already had an eye on him, so I know how he is and I can protect my daughter if I need to."
Meanwhile, Bergkamp’s son Mitchel recently joined Championship side Watford on a short-term deal, meaning he now trains on the same pitches his father used to at London Colney - a coincidence which Bergkamp enjoys greatly.
“There are so many coincidences, it’s unbelievable, because he’s living the life now that my wife and me lived when I joined Arsenal,” says Bergkamp.
Some 22 years on, Mitchel, whose middle name is Dennis, is a Watford player who trains at Arsenal’s former training ground at London Colney.
“It’s the same training pitches, Sainsbury’s (supermarket) is across the motorway, the same area that we spent our life. Mitchel went to school a couple of miles away, it’s incredible.
“He said from the beginning, ‘This feels like home, being in England again’.
“In our opinion, he’s always been more English than Dutch: he loves the culture, the country, the nature and parks and system. He fitted in from day one.”
Bergkamp has two other daughters, Jasmin, 18, and Saffron, 16, who both hope to represent the notorious Dutch hockey team at the Olympics one day.
