It’s impossible to get every transfer right, so it’s inevitable that some players will have to leave after not quite making it at their new side.

As a fan all you really want is the club to do their research and have a clear plan in place to give the new signing every chance of doing well, but it’s impossible to say that’s the case with Donny van de Beek at Man United.

In hindsight, it does look like they panicked and simply signed a highly rated young player because the fans were getting restless over a lack of action in the transfer market, but he’s been completely wasted so far.

Clearly the manager doesn’t fancy him for a reason – it may be that he’s not good enough, or the more likely situation is that he simply doesn’t fit into the system, but that also makes you wonder why he was signed in the first place?

He simply hasn’t been given a proper run of games in his favoured role for anyone to confidently say if he’s good enough or not, but it now sounds like United may just cut their losses and let him go:

If he is sold then it has to be seen as a controversial choice because it would be United admitting they got it wrong by bringing him in, and it’s easy to see him going somewhere else and doing well.

The most favourable outcome would be a loan move that allows him to regain his form and confidence before returning to fight for a place or at least raising his market value, but it would be a surprise if he’s still at Old Trafford when the Winter window closes.

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