Erik ten Hag has warned Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek that he must “step up” or he could leave the club.
Since joining Manchester United, Van de Beek has struggled to nail down a starting spot. The Dutchman was mightily impressive in his home country with Ajax, but the move to the Premier League hasn’t worked out for him so far.
Ten Hag offered Van de Beek a chance to impress recently, starting him in United’s last three fixtures.
After his recent displays, Ten Hag has now warned Van de Beek that he must “step up” or he could leave the club.
“I’ve seen him better in the past. But I think positioning-wise, he’s acting quite well. But he has to make that step up. I don’t think a loan [makes] sense. It’s either he fights [for] himself and proves himself, in this atmosphere in this environment, or he goes,” said Ten Hag, as relayed by the Mirror.
A move away from the club could be what Van de Beek needs to progress as a player, but a temporary loan move to Everton earlier this year didn’t go as planned.
Van de Beek once again struggled to cement a regular place in the Everton side despite their struggles in the league, so maybe the Premier League isn’t suited to his style.