Van de Beek’s time at Man Utd will come, says Kuyt

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Donny van de Beek has been told to bide his time to get his chance at Manchester United by former Netherlands star Dirk Kuyt.

Kuyt, a Champions League runner-up with Liverpool in 2006/07, spent six years in the Premier League after making the move from Eredivisie side Feyenoord at the beginning of that campaign.

Fifteen years on, Van de Beek made a blockbuster move from Ajax to Man Utd but has struggled to have such an instant impact. The 23-year-old has featured 26 times this term, though 15 of these have been as a substitute. He has totalled just one goal and one assist and is firmly behind Bruno Fernandes in the pecking order.

Kuyt says the youngster should give himself the chance to settle in England.

“The step from the Eredivise to the Premier League is an even bigger step then when I was going to the Premier League from the Eredivisie,” he told Sky Sports.

“We see then same with Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, so we need to give the players a little bit of time.

“But I think Donny has been very unfortunate because there are no better players than Bruno Fernandes at the moment in the world. And he’s playing in his position, so that makes it very tough for him.

“I think Donny van de Beek has shown in the Champions League last year how good of a player he is, so his time will come.”

With Manchester United all but done and dusted in the their Europa League last-32 tie against Real Sociedad, Van de Beek can expect a good deal more game time in that encounter next Thursday. It is, however, expected to be Fernandes who gets the nod on Sunday against Newcastle.