Erik ten Hag being appointed as Manchester United manager was supposed to give Donny van de Beek the edge that he needed to shine on the Premier League stage. However, six matches into the season, the former Ajax man has only totted up 19 minutes of action.
Signed for £35million by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer two summers ago, Van de Beek shone under Ten Hag in Amsterdam. His struggles at Old Trafford since then have been well-documented.
Especially after missing out on Frenkie de Jong in what was a garishly public pursuit this summer, Van de Beek may have expected a more prominent role for United this season. Currently sidelined with a knock, it has been Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen who United have put together in central midfield, with Casemiro eventually set to earn his place in the starting XI.
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It leaves Van de Beek at a crossroads in his United career. However, while his lack of minutes has caused him to be shunned by Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal once again when it comes to national team selection, the 25-year-old appears to have the bigger picture in mind.
Speaking about his compatriot during the pre-season tour, newly-appointed manager Ten Hag said: "It's the same for every player; he has to do it by himself. Me as manager and the coaching staff around him can do everything to set the right conditions so he can perform, but in the end, the player has to do it himself.
"They have to take responsibility for their performance. Donny has the capability and I have seen it [when at Ajax], but he has to prove himself."
When addressing his own game-time a month into the season, Van de Beek seemingly agreed. He said: "A club like United needs many options and it needs a big squad to play and have a good season.
"Everyone wants to play, but you have to show it and you need to improve yourself every day to be in the first XI. Having lots of options will keep everyone sharp and, for this, we need lots of good players."
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