At the time it looked like an opportunistic deal that showed Manchester United were becoming fleet of foot in the transfer market, but the reality has been rather different.
When Real Madrid failed to find the funds to progress a deal with Ajax for Donny van de Beek in the Covid transfer window of 2020, United quickly stepped in to strengthen Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's midfield. It was a deal that progressed smoothly and went under the radar and at £35million it looked like a bargain.
Van de Beek had been of interest to United previously. In January 2020 he was shortlisted as a potential attacking midfield signing, but it was Bruno Fernandes who was top of that list.
When Covid struck budgets became an issue and in the summer 2020 window United tried to set up deals for Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Jadon Sancho, only to settle for Van de Beek when all proved unattainable. Borussia Dortmund demanded £108million for Sancho, while Villa's Premier League survival on the final day made a move for Grealish more difficult. Maddison signed a new contract at Leicester when it looked like United were looking elsewhere.
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There seemed a lot to like about the move for Van de Beek. At £35million he was considerably cheaper than the three other targets and at 23 he was in the right age bracket for United's recruitment drive. He was also a recent Champions League semi-finalist.
A goal off the bench on his debut - albeit in a home defeat to Crystal Palace - added to the promise, but it didn't take long for alarm bells to ring. Solskjaer didn't know where to use Van de Beek and coaches quickly ascertained he lacked the physicality for the Premier League. It showed the dangers of switching courses in a window.
When the transfer was announced on September 2, 2020, Solskjaer said Van de Beek had "all of the technical attributes needed to perform in this team". That quote feels telling now. Too often the game in the Premier League moved too quickly for the Dutchman, especially Solskjaer's United. A midfielder bought up on a diet of possession football was now playing for a team who almost always attacked quickly and directly. He was out of sync with his teammates.
It's now approaching three years since Van de Beek signed for United and there have been just six Premier League starts, an average of two a season. In all competitions, the 26-year-old has played 60 times for the club, 23 of them starts, but he feels like an afterthought heading into his latest pre-season.
A serious knee injury wrecked the second half of last season, but even before that, there had been little to suggest that a reunion with Erik ten Hag would change the course of Van de Beek's Old Trafford career. He had failed to make much of an impact in a loan spell with Everton and although Ten Hag gave him chances, including three successive starts in November, it never clicked.
The idea that Van de Beek would be a step ahead of his teammates following Ten Hag's appointment was quickly debunked in pre-season. In a sit-down interview with the British written press in Australia last summer, Ten Hag made it clear that salvaging his United career was in the hands of the player.
"It's the same for every player, he has to do it by himself," he said. "Me as a manager and the coaching staff around him can do everything to set the right conditions so he can perform but in the end the player has to do it by himself.
"They have to take responsibility for their performance. Donny has the capability. I have seen it but he has to prove himself."
He didn't get the full season to prove himself, but Van de Beek just doesn't seem to have a role in this team. Ten Hag said last season his best position was further forward, but he now has competition from Fernandes, Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount for that role.
Even with Fred likely to be sold, Van de Beek could surely follow. He was on the periphery again last season and this opportunistic transfer has turned into something of a nightmare for both player and club. He remains young enough to make an impact somewhere and on the continent his stock should remain relatively high, but it seems clear Van de Beek's attempts to make it in the Premier League should be ending this summer.
