Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek has admitted he almost gave up on football amid his struggles at Manchester United.
Journalist Nile Sola covers comments from the player today during a press conference with Girona ahead of their Champions League clash with Feyenoord.
The midfielder is currently trying to reboot his career with the Spanish side after finally leaving Old Trafford in the summer.
The move brought an end to a four year stay at Manchester United that did not go how either side wanted.
He arrived in a €39m deal after impressing at Ajax but was never able to establish himself at the club or convince any of several managers that he deserved an extended run in the team.
The Dutchman was subsequently sent out on loan to Everton and then Eintracht Frankfurt but neither of those loan deals managed to revive his flailing career.
That’s not currently happening at Girona either, where he has struggled to establish himself early on and get back on track.
His opportunity could come in the near future as both Oriol Romeu and Daley Blind are set to spend big periods on the treatment table. That’s seemingly led to Van de Beek being put out for the presser, where he’s admitted to his struggles at Manchester United and elsewhere.
“I don’t like to talk about the past. I’ve been getting fit and feeling good for a few weeks now. Now I feel in a good moment. I love playing against Feyenoord,” he said.
“I have had many hard knocks in my career. Now I feel like I’m starting a new stage at a fantastic club. We play very well and it’s a big challenge for me. I want to keep improving.
“There have been moments when I was about to give up everything, but the family helped me to continue believing in myself. They have convinced me that I have to do what I like and that fills me up, which is to play football.”
