Man United boss Ten Hag issues warning to midfield flop

The Premier League takes a six-week break from this weekend until Boxing Day, making way for the World Cup which kicks off on November 20.

A number of the division’s players will be taking part in the competition, with all 20 clubs sending at least one player to Qatar.

One player that won’t be involved, though, is Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek.

The midfielder was left out of the Netherlands squad for the showpiece, and now his club manager has issued him a stark warning.

As reported by The Mirror, Erik ten Hag has told the player that he must either improve or leave the club.

“I’ve seen him better in the past. But I think positioning-wise, he’s acting quite well. But he has to make that step up,” Ten Hag said when talking about the midfielder.

“I don’t think a loan [makes] sense. It’s either he fights [for] himself and proves himself, in this atmosphere in this environment, or he goes.”

“But for me, there is still a way for him, there is still a perspective for him. It’s not going to be easy because the competition there is really strong.”

Van de Beek has endured a tough time ever since arriving in Manchester.

Van de Beek won’t be involved in the World Cup

The midfielder joined The Red Devils from Ajax in 2020 but has struggled for game time throughout his time at Old Trafford.

The 25-year-old has been a fringe player for most of his United career, and he has made just 57 appearances for the club in total.

Van de Beek was loaned to Everton in January this year, but his spell at Goodison Park didn’t go to plan as injuries and poor form kept him sidelined for the majority.

Having been used sparingly by both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, many expected the arrival of Ten Hag to change the player’s fortunes, however that has been far from the case.

The pair worked together at former side Ajax, and Van de Beek played a crucial role as Ten Hag guided the Dutch side to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019.

This term, the midfielder has made just seven appearances across all competitions, starting just one Premier League match.

Despite this, the Dutchman was given the opportunity to impress as United faced Aston Villa twice last week, but he failed to have any real impact on either match.

The player is contracted to United until the summer of 2025, but it looks increasingly likely that he will depart Old Trafford prior to that date.