Former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek has refused to criticise the Red Devils despite his torrid spell at Old Trafford.
Less than two months into his time at Girona, the Dutch international has still not found his feet and there will no doubt be those who worry that his form in Catalonia will be just as poor as in the north-west.
The prospect of such a reality seemed remote when Van de Beek was a star of the Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. His performances earned him a £35m move to United the following summer.
However, he quickly fell out of favour at Old Trafford, making just 16 appearances in the last three seasons, including just one in the last campaign.
Yet when asked, the 27-year-old insisted he has nothing negative to say about the club and said he will take the lessons from the experience into the future.
Donny van de Beek is looking to rebuild his career after moving to Girona in the summer
The 27-year-old endured a nightmare at Manchester United after signing in 2020
‘I’m trying to enjoy myself again and I’m doing that,’ he said. ESPN Netherlands. ‘It’s a very nice club with good football and I think I can help in that and I’m working hard for it.
‘It’s clear that there hasn’t been any positive outcome for either side (Manchester United). That’s in the past, but not one negative word about that club.
“Of course I didn’t play a lot, but I did learn a lot. With good players around me and good people within the club. I will take those things with me into the future.”
During his time in Manchester, Van de Beek also struggled to make an impact during loan spells at Everton and Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Van de Beek made 175 appearances for Ajax, scoring 41 goals and impressing under Ten Hag. In his first season at Old Trafford, he made 36 appearances, though most of them as a substitute and only played four Premier League games.
Van de Beek was a key part of Erik ten Hag’s Ajax side that reached the Champions League semi-final in 2019.
After being loaned to Everton midway through his second year at the club, there was hope he could improve under Ten Hag.
However, he missed most of the 2022-23 season with a knee injury and struggled on loan last season in the Bundesliga, with Eintracht Frankfurt turning down a £12m option to sign him.
United were interested in moving on from Van de Beek this summer as the Dutchman only had one year left on his contract.
Despite failing to secure a first-team place at United, who dropped to eighth, Van de Beek has a chance of playing in the Champions League this season, thanks to Girona’s impressive display in the 2023-24 campaign.
