Van de Beek’s misery continues as injury keeps him out of Euro 2020

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:47 CDT
• 3 min read

Donny van de Beek’s miserable campaign has concluded in the worst possible fashion, with the Manchester United midfielder being ruled out of Euro 2020, where he had been picked for the Netherlands.

Van de Beek, 24, had expected to go to the European Championship as a significant factor in Frank de Boer’s plans for the Dutch.

READ MORE: The Worst European Team of the Season, featuring Van de Beek and Pjanic

However, he has been forced to withdrawn from the squad after failing to make the bench for Sunday’s 3-0 win over Georgia.

Indeed, it has been confirmed that he will miss the tournament because of an unspecified problem.

“Donny van de Beek misses EURO 2020,” a statement from the Dutch FA confirms. “Van de Beek has to let the European Championship pass by. The midfielder is struggling with an injury. As a result, he is not available in time for EURO 2020. Frank de Boer will not call a replacement for Van de Beek.

“Get well soon, Donny!”

Van de Beek’s Man Utd nightmare

The news comes as a particular blow to Van de Beek because all three of the Netherlands’ group fixtures, against Ukraine, Austria and North Macedonia, were slated for Amsterdam.

This is simply the latest chapter in what has been a hugely frustrating time since leaving Ajax for Man Utd in a £35 million move little under a year ago.

Van de Beek had expected to be a star in Manchester but finds himself well down the pecking order at Old Trafford, with Scott McTominay, Fred and Paul Pogba among those preferred to him in a deep midfield area, while Bruno Fernandes remains untouchable in the No.10 position.

Indeed, he managed only four Premier League starts for Man Utd in his debut campaign in England and managed only 510 minutes on the field in the top flight, rarely featuring after Christmas until the closing weeks of the season when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s priority had shifted to the Europa League.

Opinion seems split as to whether he should persist at Old Trafford or look for opportunities elsewhere.

Van de Beek would have seen Euro 2020 has an opportunity to re-establish himself, but instead he returns to Man Utd, where he has an enormous battle on his hands to get back playing regularly.