Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BREAK DONNY VAN DE GEA DELIGHT AT CLEAN DE BLEAK
United held off Barca and Real to sign the skilful Dutch kid.. so why does he already look a £40m Old Trafford misfit?
DONNY VAN DE BEEK was all smiles as he chatted to David De Gea before the pair climbed into their respective cars and left Old Trafford.
But the Dutch international could have been forgiven for wearing a scowl, having failed to start a fifth Premier League game for Manchester United.
Van de Beek, one of the stars of Ajax ’s run to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals and one of Europe’s brightest young midfielders, was United’s first signing of the summer, announced to great fanfare.
Energetic, technically adept, with a fine passing range and a regular goal threat, Van de Beek l o o ke d a s h re wd b uy a t £40million, with United the logical next career step for the talented 23-year-old.
But since joining, Van de Beek’s only starts have come in the EFL Cup, against Luton and Brighton, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer unwilling so far to trust him when it comes to the Premier League.
As his old club were winning 13-0 in a record scoreline for the Dutch league, Van de Beek was a spectator in the rain at the Theatre of Dreams (right), which has become something of a nightmare for him.
Solskjaer insists he is still integrating Van de Beek into a new team and a new league, but quite how that process happens, when the player is not even getting on the pitch, only the Reds boss knows.
When he came on in United’s 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on the opening day of the season, Van de Beek provided a muchneeded spark and scored, to provide brief hope of a comeback.
He was also impressive in his two EFL Cup outings, deserved his chance to translate that to the Premier League stage, and can rightly be aggrieved he is being made to wait to prove himself.
Former United skipper Gary Neville, now a Sky Sports pundit, said he was baffled by Solskjaer’s continued neglect of his most expensive signing this summer.
“What is a little bit of a mystery is the use of Van de Beek since he’s been signed for £40m,” said Neville.
“He doesn’t seem to be at the forefront of Ole’s plans in every game and it’s a bit of a mystery.
“The more he doesn’t start and the more he doesn’t come on, the more you’re thinking, ‘Well, a £40m player, ordinarily you’d get him in the team’.
“He must be thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’ re? at this moment in time.” me.”
Ex-holland nd coach Danny ny
Blind, father of f former
United defender
Daley, echoed
Ne v i l l e a n d said he could d not understand nd Solskjaer’s r’s treatment of Van de
Beek.
“What was he signed for?” sai d Blind . “I listened to Solskjaer’s press conference and he had nothing but praise for Donny. Yet he didn’t even give him a brief cameo.
“He bought him to beef up the squad. Why not use that squad depth?”
With RB Leipzig up next for United on Wednesday in the
Champions League, t h e n Ar s e n a l o n Sunday, Van de Beek is unlikely to get the start he craves any ti time soon.
F For United and Chels Chelsea, who have shipped too man many goals already this season, a point and a clean sheet in particular represented progress of sorts for both.
Torrential rain throughout made it difficult, but this was a game more important for neither side to lose, rather than win, hence its cagey nature.
Ch el sea go al ke e p er E douard Mendy continued to prove the wisdom of his signing with two vital saves from Marcus Rashford, one right at the end.