It seemed when Manchester United bought Donny van de Beek, they did not have a clear plan in mind for how they were going to integrate him into the squad. He failed to truly make an impact under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his struggles culminated in him being sent out on loan to Everton in January.
But, as many are now saying, the appointment of Erik ten Hag could provide Van de Beek with a second chance. The midfielder played under the new United manager at Ajax and was part of the squad that reached the Champions League semi-final in 2019, even scoring in the first leg against Tottenham Hotspur.
He may well still be in direct competition with Bruno Fernandes but given that Van de Beek understands Ten Hag's style of play, this could play in his favour. And furthermore, the impending World Cup could also give the attacking midfielder the added push he needs to succeed at Old Trafford.
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In recent months, Louis van Gaal has shown that regardless of a player's importance to the Netherlands national team; if they are out of form or not playing they will be dropped. The most recent example of this is Georginio Wijnaldum, who has hardly played after his move to Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
The move has caused a stir in the Netherlands camp, with Virgil van Dijk saying he was unhappy with the move. The Liverpool defender told the media: “I believe a player like Wijnaldum should always be included. But we have to respect the manager’s decision."
But Van Gaal's unapologetic approach has sent a clear message to any Dutch player looking to make it to Qatar; either get game time or you won't be getting on the plane. And this combined with a 'new' manager to impress could be enough to kickstart Van de Beek's United career.
Van de Beek hasn't been part of the Netherlands squad since the 70-year-old manager was re-appointed as the national team manager. And in a press conference in August, Van Gaal said: "I called Donny van de Beek yesterday. I told him that he needs to start playing games. I did not speak with any manager of my players. Maybe it’s logical to talk with them, but I haven’t done it.
“I spoke (with Van de Beek) last night for 45 minutes, but I am not going to tell you anything. This is between Donny and me. I am capable of advising players."
Only time will tell whether Van de Beek will get back into the squad, even if he plays regularly and plays well for United. But first he will need to put his name into contention once Ten Hag arrives. Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
