Donny bid to escape backfires
MANCHESTER UNITED misfit Donny van de Beek may have blown his chance of escaping Old Trafford this month after ditching his agent in a fit of anger.
Van de Beek split with adviser Guido Albers in October after seeing a loan move to Everton collapse in the summer.
But his decision to ask rival agent Ali Dursun to find him a move during this month’s window has backfired after Albers refused to release the Dutch midfielder from a binding contract they agreed 18 months ago.
Dursun cannot secure a mandate to represent Van de Beek without Albers’ permission – and the stalemate means the £35.7million signing from Ajax is set to spend the rest of the season sat on United’s substitutes’ bench.
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A Dutch insider said: “It is very difficult to see how Van de Beek can move in this window.
“Dursun cannot agree a deal because Donny is still under contract to be represented by Albers’ agency, Players United.
“That two-year agreement does not expire until the end of the season.”
Van de Beek, 24, has made just 19 starts since ex-reds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer convinced him to join the club in September of 2020.
United entertain Wolves tomorrow night looking to build on a solid if unspectacular start under interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
The German joined TV pundit Gary Neville in criticising the body language of some of his players ahead of the 3-1 victory over Burnley.
Defender Diogo Dalot said: “There are times you will show frustration but we want to build that positive body language that the coach likes to see.
“We are doing a good job and need to keep that going.”