When Donny van de Beek moved from Ajax to Manchester United for £35 million in August 2020, he was widely regarded as one of the hottest prospects in European football.
The highly-rated midfielder racked up 41 goals and 34 assists in 175 appearances for his boyhood club before earning a dream move to Old Trafford. But his dream ended up turning into something of a nightmare.
The Dutchman was limited to just four Premier League starts during the 2020/21 season. Although he made 15 substitute appearances, he only managed to score one goal.
This season, van de Beek accumulated a measly 68 minutes of substitute action for Man Utd before joining Everton on loan in January.
When van de Beek left Old Trafford for Goodison Park earlier this year, he could have been forgiven for thinking that his Man Utd career was over. However, the appointment of Erik ten Hag looks set to change everything.
Under ten Hag, van de Beek helped Ajax to secure the Eredivisie-KNVB Cup double in 2019. They also reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals together that year.
The incoming Man Utd manager knows what van de Beek is capable of, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he brought the midfielder straight into his starting XI.
It is no secret that United are in desperate need of an overhaul in midfield. Not only are Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic set to leave the club at the end of the season, but there are also question marks over the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay.
In van de Beek, the Red Devils have a ready-made midfield replacement. The 25-year-old has the potential to dictate games when given the opportunity.
For whatever reason, recent Man Utd managers have not favored van de Beek. But the gifted midfielder now has the opportunity to resurrect his career at Old Trafford.
There is no reason why ten Hag can’t get the best out of van de Beek. Having enjoyed huge success together at Ajax, the pair must be looking forward to reuniting in Manchester and proving their worth.