Van Aken has only played 16 times for Sheffield Wednesday after suffering various injuries.
Former Sheffield United captain David Holdsworth has singled out Sheffield Wednesday’s Joost van Aken as a “disaster”.
Van Aken arrived at Hillsborough from Heerenveen last summer, in a deal which could be worth a reported £4 million.
But the Dutchman endured a difficult start to his Sheffield Wednesday career, and has not appeared for the Owls’ first team since Boxing Day, owing to hamstring and ankle injuries.
Discussing Wednesday’s problems this season, Holdsworth told Sheffield Live TV: “They spent a lot of money on the guy at the back (Van Aken) who I don’t rate one bit to be honest, I don’t think he fits into their (system).
“For me, he’s not had a good season at all. He had a beast (in the Steel City derby at Hillsborough).
“He’s a footballer, but I’m talking about him in the Championship, you have to have a different metal jacket on in the Championship.
“Certainly (Owls captain Glenn) Loovens should have been replaced in my opinion, last season. He’s been a good servant for them but he needed to be replaced and the boy Van Aken was a disaster.”
But Holdsworth, a former centre-back himself, has not completely written off the 23-year-old, who has yet to feature in Jos Luhukay’s favoured 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 system.
He added: “It takes time and maybe he’ll benefit from a pre-season with this new manager and we’ll see. But, for me, if he plays he needs to play in a three – he can’t play in a two.”
Despite his affection for the Blades, the club he represented between 1996 and 1999, Holdsworth has given his backing to Wednesday boss Luhukay, who revealed on Thursday that he intends to target younger players – from both the Owls’ academy and those in the Premier League, as well as proven Championship performers – in the summer transfer window.
Discussing the Dutchman’s comments, Holdsworth added: “I think the guy’s got his head screwed on.
“I think this manager should take a lot of credit. He came in at an uncertain time, nobody knew who he was. This guy’s come in, he’s stabilised the club, he’s got (players) out of the treatment room and they’ve finished the season really well. I think the fans should be buoyed on by that.”
Will Van Aken go on to be successful at Sheffield Wednesday?
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