Donny van de Beek may need to leave Manchester United if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not give him more opportunities. That is the opinion of former United midfielder Arnold Muhren, who believes that if the club signs Jack Grealish this summer, his situation will worsen.
Van de Beek left Ajax in September to join United on a five-year contract for an initial fee of £35 million, with an additional £5 million in add-ons.
The 24-year-old midfielder has struggled to make an impact for Solskjaer's side this season, appearing in only four Premier League games.
Van de Beek has mostly been used as a substitute and in cup games, and he has only one goal and one assist in 36 games so far.
The Netherlands international has recently been given opportunities to shine, playing 90 minutes against Roma, Leicester, and Wolves, but he has yet to make a significant impact ahead of United's Europa League final against Villarreal on Wednesday.
Van de Beek could fall even further down the pecking order if United sign another midfielder, with Aston Villa's Jack Grealish among those reportedly in the running.
Muhren, the first Dutchman to join United in 1982, believes Van de Beek may need to reconsider his club situation following the Netherlands' European Championships this summer.
“They say he should get used to it. But no one needs to get used to it,” he told De Telegraaf. “The issue is that he doesn't have enough [playing] time. It is critical for him to keep track of the minutes at his age.
“It also becomes a problem for the Oranje [national team]. If the national team coach has to choose between [Davy] Klaassen and Van de Beek, the former may be the better option.
“Van de Beek will have to wait for an injury or departure of a United midfielder to get a chance, but in that case, one or two will be added.
“I've noticed that they're also linked to Jack Grealish. If Van de Beek's outlook does not improve this summer, a departure may be the best solution.”
Muhren is not the first Dutch legend to discuss Van de Beek's struggles at Old Trafford; Marco van Basten made a similar case earlier this month.
“It just goes to show what a fantastic life they have when they play for Ajax,” the former Ajax and AC Milan forward told Ziggo Sport.
“They all think very quickly that they are a big boy here and can make it in other countries, but there is a lot of competition in the Netherlands.
“You get a lot of help in a team like Ajax, especially in the No.10 position. Then you see them go abroad, and it's a different story.”
No comments:
Post a Comment