Man Utd star told to 'go back to the Eridivisie' by club legend

Stuart Telford

• 4 Mar 2023 06:41 CST
• 3 min read

Between Erik ten Hag, Antony and Lisandro Martinez, the Eridivisie influence at Manchester United is strong, but not every Dutch import was worked out…

Man Utd have been positively rejuvenated under Ten Hag, the former Ajax boss steering them to third in the Premier League and winning the League Cup with them last Sunday.

Antony and Martinez followed him to Old Trafford - to the tune of €150 million - last summer, and Ten Hag wants to get more of the old Ajax band back together with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

READ: What next for Van de Beek after season-ending injury?

But there is another, forgotten, Ajax alumni in the Man Utd ranks in Donny van de Beek, who made the same move as Ten Hag, Antony and Martinez for €39m in September 2020.

But unlike his cohort, Van de Beek has struggled in Manchester, starting just six Premier League games and spending some of last season on loan at Everton. Paul Parker thinks he needs to start again.

Eredivisie revival

"Ten Hag sold him to United, but he also knows that [reintegrating him] will not work," the former right-back, who won the Premier League with United in 1993 and 1994, told Soccernews.

READ: EXCLUSIVE: Ten Hag's £350m Man Utd summer transfer plans already taking shape

"He was misused under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and, moreover, he came to Old Trafford at the wrong time, in the COVID period.

"Maybe it would be smart for him to go back to the Eredivisie to revive his career. In any case, I don't see him conquering a basic place at Man United."

Should De Jong arrive - as appears increasingly likely with United bound for the Champions League and current employers Barca financial oblivion - first-team opportunities in Manchester would become even more difficult for Van de Beek.

Van de Beek and De Jong previously combined well at Ajax, with the latter playing in a more advanced role, but Bruno Fernandes has the No.10 position under lock and key at Old Trafford.