Gary Neville has questioned Manchester United’s decision to sign Donny van de Beek after he played no part in the side’s 0-0 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
In a quiet transfer window for the Red Devils which only really came to life on deadline day, United’s biggest deal was the £40million acquisition of Van de Beek from Ajax – though he has struggled to make an impact.
With United overloaded with options in central midfield, the Dutch international is yet to start in the Premier League for his new club.
That trend continued on Saturday at Old Trafford, though this time Van de Beek did not even get on the pitch with the midfielder an unused sub in the goalless draw.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been favouring a more disciplined and hard-working central midfield pivot of Scott McTominay and Fred – with even Paul Pogba not able to make the starting line-up – and Neville has suggested Van de Beek may be regretting his move.
‘What is a little bit of a mystery is the use of Van de Beek since he’s been signed for £40m,’ said Neville on commentary for Sky Sports as Solskjaer made his third and final sub, bringing on Mason Greenwood for McTominay.
‘It’s a bit of a mystery that one.
‘And the more he doesn’t start, and the more he doesn’t come on, the more you’re thinking, “Well £40m player, ordinarily you’d get him in the team”.
‘He must be thinking: “What am I doing here?” at this moment in time.’
Van de Beek predominantly played as an attacking, box-to-box midfielder for Ajax – scoring eight times and laying on six assists in 23 outings in the Eredivisie last season – though that role is taken up by Bruno Fernandes at United, while Juan Mata was also preferred against both Newcastle and Chelsea.
