Donny van de Beek has a fresh start away from Manchester United on loan at Everton, with the club confirming his move in the late hours of deadline day.
Van de Beek hopes to show what he can do in the Premier League, after failing to get a fair shot at Manchester United.
The Dutchman has not started a single league game this season and will benefit from a fresh start.
The decision to move to Everton came late in the window after interest from Crystal Palace. Working under new Everton boss Frank Lampard might be key.
Lampard was on the receiving end as Van de Beek scored at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea for Ajax, and knows what he can do.
Then there are comments made by former Ajax winger Jesper Gronkjaer, formerly of Chelsea, back in 2020. The Dane recommended Van de Beek make an intermediate step, rather than a United-type move, and even compared him to his new boss.
Gronkjaer told Goal.com: “I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at Real Madrid or Barcelona but I would rather see him at a club just below that. For his style of play alone, clubs like Tottenham or Chelsea would be a better fit.
“They are still top clubs and he is more like Frank Lampard, that kind of player. He is a big guy, box-to-box and takes good long shots, but he is not as technically gifted as other players that have come from Ajax. He is a player you can always get a certain level from.”
Give him time
Gronkjaer also went on to reference initial struggles of ex Ajax stars Matthijs de Ligt at Juventus and Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona, and said that their quality would shine through eventually.
He said: “De Jong and De Ligt have yet to show their full potential. They did well at Ajax and moved to Barcelona and Juventus but have struggled. It is another level but I think that in years to come they will be some of the best players in Europe.”
Both players have since picked up, and the same could happen for Van de Beek. His big problem is that he has not had the playing time to actually improve, and has lost confidence as a result.
The loan move to Everton can given Van de Beek the chance to play regularly, and actually demonstrate his ability in the Premier League. He simply hasn’t been given a fair shot at United.
Van de Beek has played against Frank Lampard as a player too, and his new manager should understand how to get the best out of him. Now United can watch from afar and see what the midfielder is capable of. In an ideal situation he will return to the club in the summer full of confidence and as a fresh, Premier League proven option.
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