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Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes that Donny van de Beek made a mistake by moving to Old Trafford in the summer.
The Dutch midfielder was one of the most in-demand stars in Europe after emerging as a dependable and well-rounded central midfielder for Ajax. Van de Beek played a pivotal role in Ajax's fairytale run to the UEFA Champions League semi-final and back-to-back title wins under Erik ten Hag.
Despite competition from Real Madrid, Manchester United managed to seal his signature, but he has found game time hard to come by under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Van Gaal discusses Van de Beek's Manchester United move
Discussing his compatriot's summer move to England, Van Gaal expressed;
"I hope his time will come, but I don't think he made a good choice. I said that right away. If you have Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes, what position should Van de Beek be in? He doesn't have the qualities of Pogba and Fernandes. And now you see that Pogba often doesn't start. Where should Van de Beek play then?"
The former Manchester United manager continued,
"I think you could have seen that beforehand. There are so many teams, which could have done better justice to him, also in the top division. He is a boy with many qualities."
Van de Beek has only started seven games across all competitions, with just two of them coming in the Premier League. He has been brought off predominantly from the bench, which has sparked speculation regarding his future.
However, with Paul Pogba's future up in the air, Van de Beek could potentially have a run into the side. Pogba's notorious agent Mino Raiola claimed that his client's time at Manchester United is effectively done and he will look for a move away in the near future.
Despite his lack of game time, the 23-year-old said revealed that he's enjoying his time in Manchester, albeit also admitting that he would've wanted to play more.
Speaking on his role at Manchester United during the recently-concluded international break, Van de Beek said;
"It sounds cliché for me to say this, because of course I would have liked to play more, but I really enjoy being in a nice team. I am simply received very well and helped by everyone. I’m a patient person, but of course you go there to play as much as possible. I also think – in the minutes that I have made, in the times that I have come in – I have shown that I can add something to the team."
The former Ajax star added,
"What does he [Solskjaer] say to me? That I have to be patient, but also that I just have to continue with what I am doing. And that he’s seen that I have a good impact when I come into the field. My time is definitely coming. And when those opportunities come, I have to be there."
Manchester United are currently five points off Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur and have a game in hand.
