Erik ten Hag has offered insights regarding the experiences of Donny van de Beek at Old Trafford and expressed that players shouldn’t be discouraged by it. He noted that playing at Manchester United can be more challenging compared to almost any other team.Van de Beek, the Dutch midfielder, struggled to find his footing at United following his $40 million move from Ajax in September 2020. Injuries hindered his progress, leading to a lack of game time, with just six Premier League starts for the club. His loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt is seen as an opportunity to revive his career.🚨🗣️ Erik ten Hag on Donny van de Beek: “From the moment I came here at Manchester United, he wasn’t the player I had at Ajax because he was injured and so many times he was unavailable.” #MUFC pic.twitter.com/AfpxP3c5SW— mufcmpb (@mufcMPB) January 7, 2024 Ten Hag attributed Van de Beek’s struggles at United to persistent injuries that limited his availability and impacted his performance. “From the first moment I came in here at Manchester United, he wasn’t the player he was at Ajax because he was injured. So many times he was not available, and then he struggled for a long time to recover from that injury. That is probably the main reason why he was not playing. We decided on a loan in mid-2023, but it didn’t come, and then his opportunities were few because we also made appointments and agreements with players and contract players in that position. The competition was high.”Regarding the situation, Ten Hag pointed out that players considering moves to Old Trafford should gauge their confidence in their abilities. He emphasized the challenging nature of the Premier League and the high-pressure environment at Manchester United, making it more demanding compared to other clubs. However, he also highlighted that for players with self-assurance, it presents an exceptional challenge and an ideal club to strive for, contingent upon individual personalities and character.##NAJAVA_MECA_7781553##As United prepares for tonight’s FA Cup third-round match against Wigan, the difficulties faced by Van de Beek became evident early on during Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s tenure as manager. It became apparent that Van de Beek struggled to meet the physical and mental demands of the Premier League, leading to a swift realization that the club’s investment might not yield the expected returns.Furthermore, there are discussions involving figures such as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford from Ineos assessing the situation at United, considering the future, including Jadon Sancho, who despite his initial high cost, is seeing his value decrease.United’s transfer strategy has been virtually non-existent in the past decade. They will have to improve vastly in that department if they want to challenge the best teams in England.
