Donny van de Beek’s fall from grace at Manchester United is about more than just his struggles at Old Trafford.
It’s the height reached by the former Ajax midfielder at such a young age, creating such a distance to tumble.
Sat on alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Paul Pogba, last Saturday would feel like an achievement for most footballers, but Van de Beek has been among the substitutes far too often.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has only started the Netherlands international four times in the Premier League since his £35million arrival in the summer of 2020.
And on 21 occasions in the top-flight, Van de Beek has been left on the bench, much to the disquiet of many in his native country.
While his agent recently told talkSPORT the 24-year-old is willing to be patient and wait for his opportunity, Van de Beek was seen venting his frustration after remaining unused against Villarreal in the Champions League last week.
Watching Fred deliver such a poor display against Everton in United’s most recent underwhelming performance, many fans will surely ask: Van de Beek can’t be that bad?
Well, he’s not. In fact, many in the Netherlands expected him to become one of the next legendary Dutch footballers.
The Ajax youth system is famous for producing the likes of Johan Cruyff and Dennis Bergkamp, both of whom thought Van de Beek was on the path to greatness.
His former manager, Ronald de Boer, has revealed Arsenal legend Bergkamp saw glimpses of himself in Van de Beek while coaching the midfielder as a youngster.
“Dennis [Bergkamp] started talking enthusiastically about a talent in his youth team,” De Boer once recalled.
“It was a boy who reminded Dennis of himself at that age. That was the signal for me to keep an eye on that guy. That was Donny.”
Fun fact, Van de Beek is currently dating Bergkamp’s daughter, Estelle.
Meanwhile, Van de Beek’s father revealed the legendary Cruyff was also a fan of his son.
Andre van de Beek once revealed: “Johan [Cruyff] said, ‘I know your son, yes. That is Donny van de Beek. He is good at this and good at that’.
“He was able to tell everything. Do you know how strange it is that your idol knows everything about your son? He was able to tell everything down to the smallest detail.”
It all started so well. After progressing through the academy’s ranks, an 18-year-old Van de Beek debuted for the first-team in a Europa League match against Celtic in November 2015.
Within months, Van de Beek established himself as a regular under De Boer, with Barcelona and Bayern Munich already interested in his services.
Ajax took Europe by storm in 2018/19, with Van de Beek at the centre of things as the Dutch club won their first Eredivisie title in five years and reached the last four of the Champions League.
The Dutch needed no convincing, but he was brought to the attention of English football fans with a goal and a man-of-the-match display against Tottenham in the first leg of their dramatic Champions League semi-final.
And even former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was wowed by the midfielder.
Before Tottenham completed their second-leg comeback, Poch said: “Van de Beek. Nobody talks much about him.
“But he has a dynamic in the game, he gets behind Tadic, he arrives, he works, he scores goals.
“Logically, I love De Jong and De Ligt. But the example of the operation of this Ajax is Van de Beek. I like very much. They have a young player, from the academy, in each line, that shows what the team is.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Tottenham were reportedly interested in Van de Beek. United had to fight off stiff competition from Real Madrid to secure his signature, too.
Deployable as a No. 10 or a No. 6, attacking midfield or box-to-box, Van de Beek feels like the answer to a lot of Solskjaer’s problems.
Instead, many are left pointing at weaknesses in the Red Devils’ midfield, asking why they didn’t sign someone in the summer.
Truth is, United did sign a pretty good midfielder last year, they just won’t give him a chance.
yezelou
1
DVdB is a good player..but Ole is blind... #oleblind #usedyoungplayer #GGMU
trexmeemo
0
Barça is the club to take ypu wholeheartedly.
Aryan-02
0
Ole out , only the vdb can get game timee
Aryan-02
0
even Arteta would give him More than 10 game. I bet Arteta are better than Ole right noe
Niw i think its time to favourite club to newcastle for arteta he would be first team player
kirubi
2
the team that can win the champions league
cuaabcdpt
4
he is faster than Pogba, create chances like Bruno , have a better first touch than Fred, good pace and dribles like Sancho. the problem is the ole with his 4-2-3-1 and 4-5-1 formation
imalasyraf
2
even Arteta would give him More than 10 game. I bet Arteta are better than Ole right noe
satdklmou
1
well com
Hamabciknr
0
Cv_kevin
0
[image]
This ain’t bro
Cv_kevin
0
Ole is better then koeman no jokes thou
But If dvb was at Barca he would play every games
Cv_kevin
0
Ole is better then koeman no jokes thou
Cv_kevin
0
Ole out
InvisiblePrance
0
Because his first goal was against Molde guess who the manager was at the time. Ole 🤡 clowning Beek should leave the club 🤣
InvisiblePrance
1
Because his first goal was against Molde guess who the manager was at the time 🤡 clowning Ole 🤣
realfred07
0
you forgot about lukaku
Lukaku was below average
diseikmnpt
0
United are talent destroyers.....🤮🤮 No one should even Blame Ole, cuz this has been happening before Ole. Sanchez, Di Maria, Depay, Falcao just to mention a few. What a Club 🤮🤮🤮
It's down to the managers. If you ask for players, get them and they don't perform what's the board to do? pick the lineups for the games? or perhaps you want them to sanction every transfer request by a manager till the club goes bankrupt
diseikmnpt
1
He probably is, if only his manager wasn't under the spell of a player who shouldn't even be at the club
vowabklru
1
stupid player..if you go to arsenal..you play every game..stupid
rehaekorty
0
coz ole gunnar is not a good coach.
SeanKohoi
0
you forgot about lukaku
Lukaku wasn't actually bad at United, Man Utd just sold him for some reason 🙄 He scored 42 goals at United in 2 seasons.
Mcwizzy
5
Fred the Brazilian maybe having Ole’s nudes
Yaeadlmnz
0
LIST OF PLAYERS DESTROYED BY UNITED (FLOPS) . Sanchez . Di Maria . Depay . Sancho . Falcao . Van de Beek . Schwansteiger .
you forgot about lukaku
Nakcdekotz
4
unless Fred is like Ole's wife, I don't see why he plays Fred instead of Van De Beek. This is ridiculous on Ole's part. he doesn't have a good backup plan
BluesFamilyNumeroUno
4
Van de beek is heading to Newcastle United this January💯
Yuaopsyz
3
He better leave for New Castle and help them become a a force to be reckon with
KHMMURU07
6
Answer is simple we have Ole!
Raocelpsty
4
He is far more better than Fred, so benches Fred and let Van play
Barryabdullah
3
please Barcelona get us Van de Beek or Kesse
D-Maestreo
2
LIST OF PLAYERS DESTROYED BY UNITED (FLOPS) . Sanchez . Di Maria . Depay . Sancho . Falcao . Van de Beek . Schwansteiger .
D-Maestreo
0
The havertz Tuchel criticized publicly that havertz has lost confidence and he has froze him out of the squad, even Germany is not picking him anymore, Abeg guy talk another thing , havertz is a flop .
Havertz is a flop....Sancho is a Star 🤭🧐🤭🤭 😂😂🤣🤣
D-Maestreo
3
United are talent destroyers.....🤮🤮 No one should even Blame Ole, cuz this has been happening before Ole. Sanchez, Di Maria, Depay, Falcao just to mention a few. What a Club 🤮🤮🤮
Willhen
5
Man Utd manager Ole is a waste of time to be frank
haubdnsz
3
Why??! Ole!!!
15876riffiths
0
Because Manchester United is one of the worst clubs right now in club football obviously
why should I thou Dumas club like that smh
Miockmnt
1
join Newcastle ☺️
Ebubechukwu1996
3
Ole isn't a caoch he can't motivate players
Kitttkatt
4
He should've come to Barca but he wanted money but now he knows money can't buy playing time
SuleShaDan
2
Screw Ole
Tocbmou
2
come to Barcelona
moybeprsy
2
This Ole is a problem it hurts to see VDB brought in for the Reserves seat always 💔
dadaoladipo
3
because we have an inexperienced coach
bacbcostu
1
he is not good enough for united..he can't even change a game..man united need somebody more creative and confident..they need a game changer..VDB is an average player just like we have fred and tominay
OH MY GOD, SO THEREFORE WHY SHOULD UNITED BUY HIM FOR CHRIST SAKE ? THIS GUY IS TO ME NOT UP TO THE SPEED AND TOUGH NATURE OF EPL, I STAND TO BE CORRECT.
bacbcostu
1
he is not good enough for united..he can't even change a game..man united need somebody more creative and confident..they need a game changer..VDB is an average player just like we have fred and tominay
OH MY GOD, SO THEREFORE WHY SHOULD UNITED BUY HIM FOR CHRIST SAKE ? THIS GUY IS TO ME NOT UP TO THE SPEED AND TOUGH NATURE OF EPL, I STAND TO BE CORRECT.
Zeybikmst
0
I hate what Utd are doing to Donny
Me too, as an Ajax fan for more than 55 years, as he is a child of our club.
Zeybikmst
2
That shows the coach is fairly clueless, and he probably doesn’t like Ajax, as he lost to them when he was at Molde!
Stanstanfords7
0
Soskjear is not the guy for such talent... look at how Tuchel is using Havertz
Well whatever happened happened now.... When Tuchel first came to the club Havertz was the man on the goals ahead of Timo
Donbash89
0
Because Manchester United is one of the worst clubs right now in club football obviously
Cry more Old fool
Donbash89
0
Soskjear is not the guy for such talent... look at how Tuchel is using Havertz
The havertz Tuchel criticized publicly that havertz has lost confidence and he has froze him out of the squad, even Germany is not picking him anymore, Abeg guy talk another thing , havertz is a flop .
zunadiosuz
2
simple he has to look for a club