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 spell with Girona, the Netherlands international is still yet to find his feet and there will no doubt be a worry he could fare equally as poorly in Catalonia as he did in the north west.
The prospect of such a reality appeared remote when Van de Beek was a star of the Ajax side that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019. His performances earned a £35million move to United the following summer.
However, he quickly fell out of favour at Old Trafford, making just 16 appearances over the past three seasons – including just one in the last campaign.
Still, when questioned, the 27-year-old insisted that he has nothing negative to say about the club and said he will takes the lessons from the experience with him into the future.
Donny van de Beek is seeking to rebuild his career after moving to Girona over the summer
The 27-year-old endured a nightmare spell with Manchester United after signing in 2020
‘I try to enjoy myself again and I do that,’ he told ESPN Netherlands. ‘It (Girona) is a beautiful club with good football, and I think I can help with that and I am working hard on that.
‘It is clear that nothing has come of it for either party (Manchester United). That is in the past, but not a single bad 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 on loan stints at Everton and Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Van de Beek played 175 games for Ajax, scoring 41 goals for the side and impressing under Ten Hag. He made 36 appearances in his first season at Old Trafford, though that was mostly as a substitute with just four Premier League starts.
After being loaned out to Everton mid-way during his second year at the club, there were hopes he could improve under Ten Hag.
However, he missed the majority of the 2022-23 season with a knee injury, and he struggled on loan this past campaign in the Bundesliga, with Eintracht Frankfurt turning down a £12m option to sign him.
Van de Beek was a key part of Erik ten Hag’s Ajax side that reached the semi-final of the Champions League in 2019
United were keen to part ways with Van de Beek this summer, with the Dutchman having just one year left on his contract.
Despite failing to nail down a place in United’s first team as they slumped to an eighth-place finish, Van de Beek remarkably has the chance to play in the Champions League this term, thanks to Girona should 3034-24 campaign.
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