Donny van de Beek will be sold if he’s not careful, says ex-Man Utd star

Nicholas Hughes

• Updated: 20 May 2021 16:39 BST
• 2 min read

Donny van de Beek is at risk of losing his spot in the Manchester United squad altogether according to Premier League-winning player Mark Hughes.

The former Stoke City and Southampton manager said van de Beek needs to show more in Man Utd colours if he is to command a spot in the team.

“He looks like a guy who’s wandering around lost on the field,” he said to Stadium Astro.

“He has to be more demonstrative, he has to be a key player.

“But clearly since he’s come to United he hasn’t shown anything like what the level he needs to be at to remain a Man United player.”

Donny van de Beek’s difficult Man Utd start

Hughes questioned whether or not the Dutchman’s United teammates “have enough confidence in him” at the moment given his tumultuous beginning to life in England.

Since arriving from Ajax for around £40 million, van de Beek has made just two starts in the Premier League, and in one of those he was substituted at half-time.

The 23-year-old lasted barely an hour in United’s disappointing defeat to Leicester in the FA Cup quarter-finals, another indication of his struggles under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Hughes said that time could be running out for van de Beek if he continues to squander the opportunities – albeit limited ones – that he gets to play.

“He can only have so many opportunities, at some point he’s going to have to take them or United will move him on,” he said.

“I think they’re edging towards that decision if he’s not careful. “

Van de Beek’s United career looked to be kicking off brilliantly when he came off the bench to score on debut, but the move has never really materialised since then.

He has come off the bench more often than he has started across all competitions, and hasn’t even been called upon at all over the first two knockout rounds of the Europa League.

With the Euros just months away, van de Beek will be eager to prove Hughes wrong over the coming weeks to ensure he makes it onto the plane.