Van de Beek has been given ´clarity´ over Man Utd future, says agent

Donny van de Beek has been given “clarity” over his Manchester United future by boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, according to the midfielder’s agent Guido Albers.

The 24-year-old started just four times in the Premier League in a disappointing first campaign at Old Trafford following a reported £35million switch from Ajax last September.

He was then forced to miss the Netherlands’ Euro 2020 campaign through injury and has been an unused substitute in United’s opening two games of the 2021-22 campaign.

However, speaking after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Southampton, Solskjaer offered Van de Beek assurances when stating the Dutchman is an “important” part of his plans this term.

Van de Beek’s agent Albers is confident Solskjaer will stick to his word and use the Ajax academy product more often over the next nine months.

“Everyone within the club knows that Donny cannot have another season like last year,” Albers told De Telegraaf. “In preparation, clarity has been provided about his role. 

“The fans had already embraced him before, but the most important thing is that the trainer has now provided clarity in the English press.

“We are happy with that. And I assume that Donny will play a lot in one of the positions in midfield in the coming period.”

United won three and lost one of the four games Van de Beek started in the league last season for a 75 per cent win rate.

That drops to 52.9 per cent in the other 34 matches the Red Devils started without the Dutchman, while their average goals scored fell from 2.3 with Van de Beek to 1.9 without.

He led the way for United in the Premier League in 2020-21 in terms of tackles won per 90 minutes (1.75), meanwhile, and Paul Pogba (2.09) was the only midfielder to play more than once to complete more dribbles per 90 minutes than Van de Beek’s 1.4.