"Depends on which kind of manager is in the club" - Donny van de Beek talks about his struggles at Manchester United

Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek has opened up about his struggles since arriving at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman joined the Red Devils on a transfer worth around £39 million (as per Sky Sports) back in the summer of 2020. Despite scoring on his debut in a 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace, Van de Beek struggled for playing time under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

In his maiden season in England, he played 36 times across competitions but racked up only 1,456 minutes, averaging around 40 minutes per appearance. The midfielder's playing time didn't improve much in the first half of the 2021-22 season either. Van de Beek spent just 380 minutes on the pitch across 14 matches.

He was eventually shipped out on loan to Everton in January this year and played seven Premier League games for Frank Lampard's Toffees, scoring once.

Van de Beek has returned to Manchester United ahead of the 2022-23 season. With Erik ten Hag, his former boss at AFC Ajax, now at the helm, fans are hoping that the 25-year-old will enjoy a much better campaign this time around.

The player himself is looking to kick off his career with the Red Devils in the upcoming season. Van de Beek recently spoke about his time so far at Old Trafford (as quoted by the Manchester Evening News):

"Of course, you think a lot about football, but you have to stay yourself and never change as a player. It also depends on which manager is in the club and which kind of players he likes."

He added:

"I just do my best and I have to push every day. Everyone can improve, me as well, so I am always looking at how I can improve."

Overall, Van de Beek has made 50 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring two goals and assisting two more.

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Donny van de Beek impressed during Manchester United's latest pre-season win

Manchester United have kicked off the Ten Hag era in some style, winning their first three pre-season matches.

The Red Devils began their preparations for next season by thrashing Liverpool 4-0 and then defeating Melbourne Victory 4-1 earlier this month. Their latest match saw them pick up a 3-1 victory against Crystal Palace on Tuesday (July 19).

Van de Beek, who came off the bench at half-time for Scott McTominay, impressed barely two minutes after taking to the pitch against the Eagles. The Dutchman applied the penultimate touch to a flowing Manchester United move to set up Marcus Rashford for his side's second goal of the match.

Van de Beek will hope to build on his solid overall display when the Red Devils take on Aston Villa in their fourth pre-season friendly on July 23.