Donny van de Beek might have to leave Manchester United to play at Euro 2020, says Ronald de Boer

Dutch great Ronald de Boer thinks Van de Beek’s playing style, which lacks great physical attributes and relies more heavily on movement and technical skill, is better suited to La Liga

Sports Staff
Thursday 07 January 2021 14:40 GMT
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Donny van de Beek after the Carabao Cup semi-final
Donny van de Beek after the Carabao Cup semi-final (Getty)

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Donny van de Beek has been urged to leave Manchester United unless his gametime dramatically improves.

Van de Beek has made only two league starts since moving to Old Trafford from Ajax for £34m in the summer, and was again left out of the starting XI by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City, used only as a substitute.

Speaking to Dutch news outlet AD, Ronald de Boer – the former Netherlands player and manager who is now a youth team coach at Ajax – said Van de Beek must find more minutes ahead of Euro 2020 this summer.

“The European Championship is coming, he will undoubtedly want to be there. Maybe it would be good for him to discuss with the club exactly what they want with him,” said De Boer. “If the view on playing time does not improve, he may have to declare that he should be loaned or even sold.”

De Boer thinks Van de Beek’s playing style, which lacks great physical attributes and relies more heavily on movement and technical skill, is better suited to La Liga than the Premier League.

“I think his playing style is better suited to the Spanish league than to the English. In the Premier League it is often hit and run, in Spain more combination football is played. Donny is physically fine. But he comes into his own better in the Ajax game.

“You have to be lucky every now and then. Of course it doesn't look great now, but with a great performance it can suddenly change completely. We also don't know what's going on behind the scenes. Perhaps they have made certain agreements with his transfer, they will get him ready for next year this season. That always remains a bit of a guess.”

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