Man Utd outcast offered January escape route as European outfit consider cut-price deal
Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek could be offered an escape route in January as a La Liga outfit are considering swooping in.
After a troublesome few years at Old Trafford, an exit in the near future seems more than likely for Van de Beek.
Upon Erik ten Hag’s arrival at the club last year it was hoped that Van de Beek could rediscover some form, but this has not materialised.
Since joining Man Utd back in 2020, the Dutch midfielder has only featured in 34 Premier League matches and he is yet to feature this season.
Injuries hampered the 26-year-old last season and the midfielder was heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford this summer.
However, despite links to clubs in Turkey and France, Van de Beek has ended up staying put at Man Utd. French side Lorient tried to sign him, but the deal quickly collapsed due to the player’s attitude over the deal.
It seems that first-team opportunities will be hard to come by for the 26-year-old this season as the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen are all above him in the pecking order.
His deal with Man Utd runs until 2025 with the option of a further year. As he currently seems surplus to requirements at Old Trafford, the club would likely accept a cut-price deal to get him off the wage bill.
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La Liga club offers him an exit route
Despite a move not materialising for Van de Beek this summer, it seems as if there will be plenty of interest come the January window.
A report from Spain has claimed that Villarreal have set their sights on the playmaker. This could be the perfect option for Van de Beek to get his career back on track.
The slower pace of La Liga could suit the midfielder and how he likes to play. While the Spanish side have looked vulnerable at the back so far, they do look like a threat in the final third.
For the sake of his career, Van de Beek really needs this next move to work out. He’s not made an international appearance for the Netherlands since 2021 and is in desperate need of regular first-team football.
When quizzed about his future earlier in the summer the Dutch midfielder gave an open-ended answer: “For now, it’s hard to say where my future is.
“I’ve come back now after injury and I’m fit now, so I play my first minutes after training for a few weeks, so I try to push as hard as possible.”
He’s not yet had those opportunities to show what he is about and an exit in January would probably be the best thing for his career right now.
