Man Utd summer transfer was ‘close’ as flop reveals ‘healthy ambition’ to ‘go to another club’ | OneFootball

Donny van de Beek gets emotional after scoring in a pre-season friendly.

Manchester United outcast Donny van de Beek says he needs to be playing on a regular basis and has opened up on his failed summer move to Real Sociedad.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer brought the Dutchman to the Premier League in September 2020, paying an initial fee of around £34million to sign him from Ajax.

After a great career in the Dutch capital, the 26-year-old has barely played for the Red Devils and spent the second half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Everton, where he struggled with injuries.

The appointment of his former manager in the Netherlands, Erik ten Hag, at Old Trafford looked like the lifeline Van de Beek’s United career needed, but he has barely played since the start of last season.

Admittedly, Van de Beek has struggled to stay fit, though it is abundantly clear that he is not in Ten Hag’s plans.

He was linked with French club FC Lorient and La Liga’s Real Sociedad in the summer but did not appear to be keen on either move despite his lack of opportunities at Old Trafford.

Speaking to Diario AS, Van de Beek revealed that a move to Spain was “close”.

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

“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.”

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Van de Beek is “set to leave” Manchester United in January, though it is unclear who wants to sign him.

The summer rejection of Lorient – and potentially Sociedad as well – hinted that the former Ajax man viewed both clubs as too much of a step down, which is absolutely not the case.

At this stage, it is important for Van de Beek to find a place where he can play regularly, even if it is for a club not playing in a European competition.

A return to the Netherlands makes sense as that would go a long way to getting back into the national team squad, although he is a million miles from that at this moment in time.

Van de Beek was an unused substitute in United’s 3-0 win at Everton on Sunday and has only played 21 minutes all season, two of which came in the Premier League.

He has sat on the bench for an entire game four times in 2023/24 and was not registered for the Red Devils’ Champions League squad.

In three years at Old Trafford, Van de Beek has only made 62 appearances, scoring twice.