Paul Ince believes Donny van de Beek’s Manchester United career is all but over, and expects the midfielder to be offloaded in January.
Van de Beek was a high profile arrival from Ajax last summer for a fee of around £35million having gained a big reputation from being part of the Dutch club’s stunning run to the 2019 Champions League semi-final.
Yet since arriving at Old Trafford the midfielder has barely been given a run in the first-team.
Donny van de Beek was substituted at half-time in Manchester United’s defeat at Young Boys
Paul Ince believes there is now no chance of Van de Beek saving his Manchester United career
The 24-year-old was given a rare start in the Champions League at Young Boys on Tuesday, but with the Red Devils reduced to 10 men following Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s first half red card, he was sacrificed at half-time as a substitute for defender Raphael Varane.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer defended the switch by insisting it was tactical.
He claimed: ‘The signs were there in the last five minutes of the first-half that we were going to get crosses in the box.
‘We knew they’d put the big tall striker on and we had to deal with their switches a lot better.’
However, former United midfielder Ince was not convinced by Solskjaer’s explanation, and believes Van de Beek will now never make a breakthrough at the club when asked if he was in the manager’s long term plans.
Van de Beek has made just four Premier League starts since joining Manchester United
Most of Van de Beek’s United career has been spent on the bench for their biggest matches
‘Absolutely no chance!’ Ince told The United Stand YouTube channel. ‘He’s tried to make the player happy [by playing him].
‘It’s always tough when you don’t play to come and make an impression on your first start and to sub him off at half-time… what does it say to us, what does it say to the fans?
‘What does it say to Donny? ‘If I can’t get a full game against Young Boys, ten men or no ten men, then it’s time for me to go.’
‘There’s nothing Ole could say that would persuade me that my future is at Manchester United. I wish it was because it’s the biggest club in the world but he needs to play football.’
Van de Beek (right) is behind up to six United players including Nemanja Matic (left)
Fred is another midfielder who is favoured over the Dutchman at Old Trafford
Ince added that with up to six players ahead of the Dutchman in the pecking order, he doesn’t expect him to be at the club by the end of the season.
‘[Scott] McTominay is back now, [Nemanja] Matic – who I love – is back, he’s got Fred.
‘He’s never not going to play [Bruno] Fernandes or [Paul] Pogba, he’s got [Jesse] Lingard who can play in that role so the signs are there and I expect him to be gone in January.
‘Whether it’s a loan… they won’t be getting the money back that they paid for him.
‘You feel sorry for him because he looks like a nice lad, looks like he wants to do well, looks like the ultimate professional and he must know now that the writing is on the wall, unfortunately.’
Ince believes Van de Beek could be on his way out of Old Trafford as soon as January
Former United striker Dimitar Berbatov also believes the Dutchman maybe running out of time to save his career at Old Trafford
Meanwhile, Berbatov also fears that Van de Beek’s Manchester United career is ‘not working out’ and that the Dutchman’s chances at Old Trafford are running slim.
Last season he made only four Premier League starts in 19 appearances and former United striker Berbatov believes it will now be tough for him to gain many more chances in the first team.
Berbatov told Betfair: ‘United midfielder Donny van de Beek is running out of time to save his United career. He started against Young Boys but was substituted at half-time.
‘This has been the story of his time at the club. If he plays, he’s brought off. If he comes on, he gets 10 minutes. He never gets the chance to settle and show what he can do.
‘It’s just not working out for Van de Beek. It’s a pity because United paid big money for him. But this is what happens when you spend money just to satisfy your fans.
His lack of minutes has recently cost him his place in the Holland squad post Euro 2020
‘I still hope he gets a proper chance but it is going to be very difficult for him and the club may decide to cut their losses, if they can.’
Even this season Van de Beek remains barely used, with his first half display only adding to six cameo Premier League minutes against Newcastle United last weekend in the 4-1 victory.
Van de Beek has found the likes of Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic in front of him in the pecking order and appears to have no fit in Solskjaer’s system.
His nightmare year continued in the summer when he was ruled out of Euro 2020 with an injury and he has since lost his place in the Holland squad owing to his limited playing time at United.
