Erik ten Hag responds to Donny van de Beek’s ‘tough’ comments & explains two reasons for Man Utd exit

Erik ten Hag has explained the reasoning for Donny van de Beek’s loan exit from Manchester United after the midfielder opened up on the move.

Van de Beek, 26, has joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign after making just two appearances for United this season.

The Dutch player had a torrid time at Old Trafford since his £40 million move from Ten Hag’s Ajax side in the summer of 2020. He started just six Premier League games for the club in his three-and-a-half-year spell.

Speaking to German media after his January move, Van de Beek was asked about his time at Old Trafford. “If you don’t play as many games as you want, it’s tough,” he said. “But that’s the past now. I’m here now, and I’m positive, which is the most important thing and then things can change.”

Ten Hag previously labelled United’s handling of his former Ajax star as a ‘mortal sin’ – however, after moving to Old Trafford, Ten Hag could not afford a space in his lineup for Van de Beek.

When speaking about the departure of the midfielder ahead of United’s FA Cup clash against Wigan Athletic, Ten Hag stated his beliefs that injuries have derailed Van de Beek’s career at Old Trafford.‘Yes, he has had many injuries, and that is first of all [why it didn’t work out],” he told reporters. “I have now worked two years with him, and before, he worked under different managers here as well. He had another loan as well.

“From the moment I came here at Man United, he wasn’t the player I had at Ajax because he was injured and so many times he was unavailable. Then he struggled for a long time with recovering from that injury. So I think that is probably the main reason why he wasn’t playing.”

Van de Beek played 45 minutes in a friendly against SC Frieberg on Saturday and was pictured in good spirits in training ahead of the game. Many believe that a move away from United for the outcast has been long-awaited.

Ten Hag also revealed that the club were looking to loan the player in the summer, but no deal materialised. Van de Beek’s issue came with the fact that United signed Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat, and his place in the pecking order at Old Trafford moved even further down.

“Then we decided on a loan in the summer, and nothing came,” added Ten Hag. “Then his opportunities were so few because also we made appointments and agreements with players, and there was a conflict in those positions, the competition was high.”