Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek is ‘surplus to requirements’, despite now being managed by one of his former first-team coaches.
That’s according to journalist Peter O’Rourke, who claims the Netherlands international is not needed at Old Trafford.
Despite being signed from Ajax by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a deal worth £35m back in 2020, van de Beek, 25, who failed to break into the Norweigan’s first team, was expected to kick start his career once ten Hag took charge earlier this year.
However, even though teams are seven games into the new Premier League season, van de Beek has once again failed to start a single game – raising suspicions that even his old boss doesn’t see a place for him in the Red Devils’ future.
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Echoing these concerns, O’Rourke, who spoke to GiveMeSport, believes the former Ajax playmaker is now facing a desperately uncertain future and could leave Old Trafford as early as January.
“He finds himself sort of surplus to requirements at Manchester United right now and it’s going to be interesting to see what happens with van de Beek in January,” O’Rourke said.
“Will he look to move on in search of regular first-team football or will he get more opportunities in the Manchester United team?
“But, right now, it does seem like it’s going to be a tough, long season ahead for van de Beek if the opportunities aren’t going to be given to him by ten Hag.”
Do you think ten Hag should give van de Beek an opportunity to impress, or is it time for the midfielder to move on? – Let us know in the comments.