Van de Beek delivers Man Utd transfer ultimatum

Robin Bairner

27 Nov 2023 02:32 CST
3 min read

Donny van de Beek has told Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag that he must either be given a chance to prove his worth or he will leave the club.

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Van de Beek arrived at Old Trafford for €39 million from Ajax in the summer of 2020 but has failed to live up to expectations at the club.

He has tumbled down the pecking order at Man Utd and has featured for only 21 competitive minutes this season, only two of which have come in the Premier League.

With his Euro 2024 hopes with the Netherlands hanging in the balance, Van de Beek has indicated that he is giving serious consideration to leaving during the forthcoming January transfer window.

I have to start playing games very soon, if it’s not possible at United, then I will go to another club

- Donny van de Beek

Speaking to Diario AS, he said: “The time comes when a decision has to be made. I have to start playing games very soon, if it’s not possible at United, then I will go to another club.

“I think this is a healthy ambition. I make a good living at United, but money has never been my motivation.

“I was close to going to Real Sociedad, but at the last minute, the clubs could not reach an agreement.”

Van de Beek’s best transfer option

With apparently no way back for the 26-year-old at Man Utd, there is likely to be healthy interest in him during January given that a string of clubs from all over Europe were following his case closely in the summer.

According to data analytics experts SciSports, Van de Beek’s ideal move would be back to the Netherlands with PSV. It is forecast that he would get additional playing time in Eindhoven, where he would easily be able to show his credentials to Oranje boss Ronald Koeman on a weekly basis.

Other strong options for the midfielder include Ligue 1 side Nice, which could be a possibility once Sir Jim Ratcliffe takes over a minority ownership of Man Utd, and Al-Nassr, where Old Trafford legend Cristiano Ronaldo is presently playing.