Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has advised Donny van de Beek to leave Man Utd as it is “perhaps a step too high for him”.
The Old Trafford giants swooped to sign the highly-rated 23-year-old from Ajax for an initial 39 million euros (£34.1m), but things have not gone as smoothly as the Holland international had expected.
While Van de Beek has made 36 appearances in all competitions, the majority have come from the bench and the midfielder has only made four Premier League starts.
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His move to Man Utd has been criticised by a number of former Dutch players and pundits with the midfielder now reportedly scheduling a meeting with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to discuss his role in the team next season.
And Van de Vaart thinks his compatriot will be “lucky” to get into the Man Utd team again next season and has urged him to leave.
“He fitted perfectly into the Ajax system, but he doesn’t fit at United,” Van der Vaart told ESPN.
“If you have the opportunity to go to a team that suits you better and it’s an attractive team, I would definitely go for that.
“If nobody leaves United, he will have to be lucky to get into the starting eleven. He is far too good to sit on the bench for two seasons.
“He needs minutes very quickly. He’s still young, but time flies. A club like Borussia Dortmund would have been a better step for him. Manchester United is perhaps a step too high for him.”
Speaking back in January, Solskjaer insisted that he rates Van de Beek highly and sees him playing a big role at Man Utd.
“I’ve answered this question so many times,” Solskjaer said. “There’s so many examples of players needing a little bit of time, quality players.
“We have many examples ourselves and there are other clubs with examples. Sometimes it takes time.
“You don’t expect people who care for him to be quiet at times, especially when they want the best for them.
“Donny is going to play tomorrow. That’s another chance for him and, yes, I’ve spoken to him and reiterated and made him aware of how much we rate him.”
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