Former Ajax and AC Milan striker Marco van Basten believes Netherlands international Donny van de Beek could live to regret his summer move to Manchester United after a slow start to life at the club.
Signed from Ajax in a £35million deal, plus add ons, van de Beek was tipped to walk straight into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side and make an immediate name for himself at Old Trafford.
After stepping off the bench to score on his United debut in a 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace back in September, it was expected that the Dutchman would soon nail down a regular starting berth at Old Trafford.
However, van de Beek, who attracted interest from a whole host of clubs across Europe prior to a move to Old Trafford, including from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid, is yet to start a Premier League game for the Red Devils. On top of that, he was left on the bench during Saturday's goalless draw with Chelsea, despite Solskjaer's side being on the hunt for a winner.
With the 23-year-old, who made a real name for his goal-scoring ability from midfield in Holland with Ajax, having racked up just 60 minutes of Premier League football this season, former Netherlands boss van Basten has spoken about his fellow countryman's time at Old Trafford so far, insisting that he "should not have gone to Manchester United."
"Donny should not have gone to Manchester United," van Basten told Ziggo Sport. "When you are a good player you want to play every week.
"It is really bad for a player like Donny to play only six or seven games this year. That is shocking for your match rhythm.
"I know he is earning loads and loads more than he used to. But as a top player you have to be critical and look at the chances of playing when you sign for a new club.
"Donny should have waited for better prospects and signed for another club."
The midfielder was heavily linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium throughout the summer, with Jose Mourinho, the Spurs head coach, keen to strengthen his squad.
An attacking-midfielder could have been seen as a smart addition by Mourinho now that Dele Alli has found himself on the fringes of the squad, but United, of course, won the race for van de Beek, meaning Spurs missed out.
Now, though, van de Beek will probably have been left wondering whether or not a move to the capital, opposed to Manchester, would have been a better idea.
After Saturday's clash between United and Chelsea, former Red Devils left-back Patrice Evra questioned his former club's decision to sign him in the first place.
Evra told Sky Sports: "We're talking about van de Beek, nothing against the kid, but why have we bought him?
"He's watching the game from the stand every game.
"We don't need him, that's the truth."
