Edwin van der Sar admits he feels sad for Donny van de Beek

Edwin van der Sar has admitted he feels sorry for his countryman, Donny van de Beek.

When signed from Ajax last summer, the Old Trafford Faithful were immediately excited about Donny van de Beek. The Dutchman would score on his debut against Crystal Palace, further whetting the appetite.

Sadly, that goal in a 3-1 loss is as good as it has been for Donny. The Dutchman has struggled to nail down a regular first-team place despite showing flashes of his quality.

Now, here we are towards the end of the campaign, with Van de Beek firmly rooted to the substitutes bench, offered a few minutes late in games here and there. For a man who cost £40million, that’s not going to be enough.

Now, while speaking to channels back in his native Holland, United legend, Edwin van der Sar, has admitted he feels sad for the out-of-favour Reds star following his poor season.

Check out what Van der Sar had to say about Donny van de Beek here:

“Of course, I feel sad for Donny. He walked the perfect path before joining United. He joined the [Ajax] first team from the academy, became a starter, won trophies, performed in Europe.” Van der Sar told ESPN Holland, transcribed by The Metro.

“But the midfield of Manchester United is too stacked, they’ve not had any injuries. It’s hard for him.”

I guess we all underestimated just how tough it was going to be for Donny. It’s easy to forget how instrumental Bruno Fernandes has been, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seemingly unwilling to play the pair together. With that in mind, it’s down to the Dutchman to beat out our Portuguese Magnifico. That was always going to be a struggle.

I’d like to think that now Van de Beek has adapted to life in a new country, next season will be miles better for the former Ajax man. He’s had that settling in period so there can be no more excuses.

I fully believe the 2021/22 campaign will be miles better for Van de Beek, though a lot depends on what happens with Paul Pogba. Obviously, the Frenchman remains a Red Devil for now – but that may well change…

Should Donny van de Beek have been given more chances? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.

Follow Old Trafford Faithful on Twitter for more Manchester United news.