Ten Hag admits £40m Man Utd flop ‘has to’ leave as Serie A giants eye ‘double deal’ for two Red Devils | OneFootball

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has admitted that Donny van de Beek may have to leave the Premier League giants in January or next summer.

The Red Devils splashed out a fee of around £40m to sign Van de Beek in 2020 following his emergence at Eredivisie giants Ajax.

This transfer has now worked for anyone involved as Van de Beek has barely featured for the Premier League giants over the past couple of seasons.

It was hoped that a reunion with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag could help to bring the best out of Van de Beek but the midfielder is still way down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

Van de Beek was heavily linked with a move elsewhere in the summer but a deal did not end up being completed. He is now being targeted by Serie A giants Juventus, who are reportedly eyeing a ‘double deal’ involving the Dutchman and Jadon Sancho.

Van de Beek has admitted that he has to “start playing matches very soon”.

“I have to start playing matches very soon, if not at Manchester United, then at another club,” Van de Beek told De Telegraaf last weekend.

“I think this is a healthy ambition. I’ve always been an enthusiast. I’m absolutely crazy about football. I earn a good living at Manchester United, but money has never been my motivation. I want to enjoy my work every day.

“Last season I was sidelined for months due to my knee injury. You miss it terribly and appreciate even more that you have a wonderful profession. I am at a legendary club and I am still proud every day to wear the Manchester United shirt. But I’m bursting with energy now that I’m in great shape again and I’m training like crazy. Then the moment comes when you have to make a choice.

“I’m excited to play matches again. The manager now makes different choices. We have a great selection and I’m not the only one knocking on the door. We’ll see what happens in January.”

Former Premier League winger Boudewijn Zenden thinks Van de Beek needs to “find something that suits him”.

“Whatever he does next is his choice. He needs to find something that suits him,” Zenden told TG Casino.

“His marriage to United has never really been great. He’s never been an undisputed starter, and that makes it really hard because players want to be important and play a lot of games.”