It’s fair to say that Donny van de Beek’s first year at Manchester United has not gone quite as he would have imagined.
The Dutchman was a big-money arrival from Ajax in the summer but has endured a difficult first year at Old Trafford in which he’s largely been on the periphery under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Last night saw him handed his chance to try and turn that around, with the United boss handing Van de Beek a starting role against Roma.
With Manchester United leading the tie 6-2 and basically in the final, the game was the perfect opportunity for the midfielder to impress with the pressure off.
Instead, it was another disappointing evening for Van de Beek, who was pretty much anonymous in a wide attacking midfield role.
It was another display that will raise doubts about his future at Manchester United and whether he actually fits in at the club.
That’s something former Denmark international Kenneth Perez, who was unimpressed in his analysis after the game.
“He’s just walking around a bit,” Perez told ESPN, relayed by Voetbal Primeur.
“You should never feel sorry for someone who plays at Manchester United, but how he must long for the importance and way of playing at Ajax.
“He’s just walking around at United… He is always passed over, and all the attention goes to other players.
“The question is whether Dutch players might question England as a first step. Very few players succeed there. Wijnaldum is perhaps an exception.”
