Manchester United new-boy Donny van de Beek has been warned he’s unlikely to get into this side ahead of Bruno Fernandes any time soon.
That’s the opinion of former Red Devils midfielder Luke Chadwick, who has suggested the summer signing from Ajax could have to adjust to playing in a slightly different role, perhaps out wide as Juan Mata has played in some recent games.
Van de Beek has looked impressive when he has got on the pitch this season, but he’s largely been left on the bench by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, so has had limited time in which to impress.
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Meanwhile, Fernandes has been absolutely superb for Man Utd and it’s unsurprising that he’s probably seen as far too important to drop at the moment.
Discussing the Van de Beek situation, Chadwick told CaughtOffside: “Van de Beek has been a strange one so far, he hasn’t really had any momentum to build on in terms of minutes on the pitch.
“United’s only goal from open play so far this season (at home in the league) was him in the first game, when you thought ‘what a good start’, but he’s still not seen much action.
“Obviously Bruno Fernandes is the first name on the team sheet at the moment and Van de Beek plays a similar position to him, but you would expect Van de Beek to come in, maybe in a wide position where Mata’s done well. But I think Ole’s a bit hesitant to play him in a midfield two because the two ‘destroyers’ (Fred and Scott McTominay) have had a lot of success this season.
“Of course it’s incredibly early in his United career … you can see he has a good attitude when he does get on, but it will be interesting to see where his position evolves and where he can have an effect because I can’t see him getting in ahead of Fernandes any time soon.”
Chadwick also discussed the poor recent form of Anthony Martial and how that might mean another summer signing, Edinson Cavani, soon gets more opportunities to start games in Solskjaer’s side.
“Martial has struggled this season in terms of scoring goals,” Chadwick told CaughtOffside. “Last season he had probably the best spell he’s ever had at the club when we came back from lockdown. He was electric playing as a number 9 with Rashford and Greenwood either side of him.
“It seems clubs are playing slightly differently against him now and dropping off because he’s not as effective with his back to goal, holding the ball up, when he hasn’t got that space behind it’s hard for him to have a massive effect on the game.
“I think Rashford’s quite happy playing on the left, but I think Martial sees himself as a number 9, as a goal-scorer. Rashford’s work rate is ahead of Martial’s in terms of doing what’s required in a wide-left position. Cavani’s obviously been brought in – a world class goal-scorer – so perhaps there could be an opportunity for him to start some games and to see what he can produce, and have the effect that older players – the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson – have had at United, scoring goals and getting the team ticking.
“With Cavani, it’s a case of getting him up to match fitness. Solskjaer probably brought him in without looking to start him immediately, but it looks made for Cavani to come in at the moment and make a difference.”