Rafael van der Vaart felt a move to Borussia Dortmund would have suited Donny van de Beek better than Manchester United.
Speaking to ESPN, van der Vaart was discussing his fellow countryman’s underwhelming £35m (BBC Sport) transfer to United.
In what can only be described as a disappointing debut season, Van de Beek started four Premier Leagues in 2020/21.
The 24-year-old managed just one goal in 36 appearances across all competitions for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
If Van de Beek had the power of foresight, he might have avoided swapping Ajax for Old Trafford.
Van der Vaart agreed with this theory and suggested Dortmund as a more favourable destination for the Dutch international.
“He fit perfectly into the Ajax system, but he doesn’t fit at United,” said the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
“If nobody leaves United, he must be lucky to get in the starting line-up. He is far too good to sit on the bench for two seasons. He needs minutes very quickly.
“He is still young, but time flies. A club like Borussia Dortmund would have been a better step for him. Manchester United might be a step too high for him.”
Van de Beek’s Dortmund link
A switch to the Bundesliga could have potentially arisen for Van de Beek.
90min reported in March that United were thinking of using the struggling signing as a makeweight to lure some of Dortmund’s stars to Manchester.
Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho have both been linked with the Red Devils, but nothing concrete has come from either player.
Nor has it on removing Van de Beek, who is preparing to embark on the European Championships with the Netherlands.
Perhaps an international tournament can clear his head and help him come back rejuvenated for the upcoming domestic campaign.
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