Abdelhak ‘Appie’ Nouri cried “tears of joy” when long-time close friend Donny van de Beek called and told him about his move to Manchester United.

Nouri suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack and collapsed on the pitch three years ago, resulting in being placed in an induced coma.

Positive news arrived earlier this year when it emerged he started communicating with his family through raising eyebrows, and now the former Ajax player’s father, Mohammed has revealed his beautiful reaction to finding out about Van de Beek’s big transfer.

He and the family have also been invited to watch him in action at Old Trafford once it is safe to do so.

“Appie’s eyes looked very sharp suddenly, he had tears of joy on his cheeks and was clearly moved when he heard Donny’s voice,” he told De Telegraaf,as per Sport Witness.

“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.”

“We will definitely go to Manchester. The three of us won’t all go together because Appie needs help, so someone must always stay with him.”

It’s a similarly heartwarming story to one told by fellow Ajax academy product Frenkie De Jong, who was inspired to make the switch to Barcelona thanks to Nouri.

Speaking on TV show De Wereld Draait Door in March, De Jong said: “Then Appie’s mother came in and asked him: ‘Where should Frenkie go?’

“She named the clubs and said, ‘Should he go to Barcelona?’ Then Appie signalled with his eyebrows to agree. That was a very nice moment for me and the family.”

After securing a huge £40 million move to United, Van de Beek has honoured his friend by taking on the No.34 shirt he used to wear as a tribute to him.

It was the number he wore at Ajax and the Dutchman follows the likes of Philippe Sandler, Amin Younes, Joel Veltman and Justin Kluivert in taking a piece of him with them as they continue their football journeys.

Nouri took interest in helping Van de Beek when his brother Rody was hospitalised with a tumour in his back years ago and his quality of life greatly saddens the Netherlands international.

“I still wonder why it had to happen to him,” he told De Telegraaf last year.

“Obviously I don’t want things like that to happen to anybody, but it seems it always hits the good people.

“Appie always wanted the best for everybody and he absolutely did not deserve this. It makes me feel powerless and angry.”

source:- sportbible