Recent reports from Sky Sports state that Everton are keen on signing Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek in the January transfer window as Rafael Benitez looks set to add to his options at the centre of the park.
The Toffees made a loan enquiry for the Dutchman late in summer, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blocked the move at the eleventh hour. In a recent interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS’ Along the Line sports programme, Everton’s director Marcel Brands hinted that the club might reassess that situation in January.
“We had him on our list.
“At the beginning of the transfer window, we enquired at United, then it was impossible.
“At the end of the window, I received a call from Guido Albers, his agent, that he might be rented out after all. But at the last minute it was cancelled. Stopped again.” – Brands stated.
“You always depend on whether a club wants to cooperate. And it is early October, so much can still happen with injuries. United are playing on various fronts, it’s hard to say now.
“It is of course a pity for Donny. He is a very good player, no doubt about it.
“Such a boy wants to play and wants to return to the Dutch national team. But you know that at such a club the pressure is great and the competition is huge.”
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 £36 million; however, he made just four Premier League starts over the course of his debut season.
The 2021/22 season has started in a similar fashion for the Netherlands international, as he has played just five minutes of Premier League football this term.
The lack of adequate game-time has put significant question marks over his future at Old Trafford, and if this trend continues, he might be forced to switch clubs at the earliest opportunity that comes his way.
“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,” van de Beek revealed on Rio Ferdinand’s FIVE podcast in September.
“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.”
Time For Solskjaer To Let Him Leave?
If the Dutch international is forced to leave United in the coming months, it will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest mismanagements in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign.
An entire year should have been more than enough for his integration into the first team, but the coach still seems to be clueless about how to manage the situation.
Under such circumstances, it would be fair to say that van de Beek’s departure from Old Trafford will benefit all the parties involved.
