In a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE Podcast, Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek revealed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was not keen on letting him leave on loan in the final days of the transfer window despite substantial interest from Everton.
“I spoke with the manager about it (the interest from Everton) and the club. They were clear they wanted me to stay here,
“The manager was really positive about me and he said: ‘I need you and I want to keep you here’.
“Of course, what I see here now in the beginning of the season is difficult, because I didn’t play one minute, but he said; ‘What I see every day in training, I see a different Donny now’.
“He was really positive about me and I’m feeling well. I’m in good shape so I hope that I can show the people that I improved a lot.
“He sees a big difference, that I’m a little bit stronger now. He can see that I now have one-year of experience here in England. If he sees me now [compared to] the beginning, he sees a big difference.
“I need to trust him. If he doesn’t need me, I think he will let me go. I think he has plans with me.
“I just need to work hard and I hope I can show the people, one day, what I can do.
Donny van de Beek’s Struggles At Old Trafford
The 24-year-old midfielder signed for Manchester United from Dutch club Ajax for a fee in the region of £35 million; however, he made just four Premier League starts over the course of his debut season.
The lack of adequate game-time has put a significant question mark over his future at Old Trafford, and if the trend continues, he might be forced to look for a new club in the upcoming transfer window.
“It’s difficult if you’re not really in the team, you’re waiting for your chance. That’s not easy, if you’re not playing. Also not for the confidence,” he stated.
“It’s normal you need a bit of time to adapt but of course you are not happy. I want to play, that is clear.
“I train really hard every day, I try to improve and just wait for your chance, that’s the only thing I can do. If the moment is there, I have to be ready, it’s as simple as that. Be close with the players, be part of the team. If you’re not playing, try to help them and be positive. You can’t sit there and be angry.”
Where Does His Future Lie?
If the Netherlands international is forced to leave United in the coming months, it will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest mismanagements in Solskjaer’s reign.
For a player who finished the 2018/19 season with 17 goals and 13 assists in 57 matches across all competitions, his talent is being wasted due to the Norwegian’s stubbornness. A year should have been more than enough for van de Beek’s integration into the first team, but the coach still seems to be unaware of his best position.
“I think I can do (play as a six) but, of course, I don’t know what the manager thinks or what he expects from me. I’ve played in this role before with Ajax.
“That depends on how you play as a team. For how we play, I think the best position for me is a number six or eight.”
Perhaps, he might be presented with rare opportunities when the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup campaigns get underway, but the fans certainly want to see more of him.
