While Manchester United might take encouragement from last weekend’s goalless draw with archrivals Liverpool, given that the hosts had previously won every single home game this season, the reality is that they are still having a difficult season.

As Christmas comes, United finds itself in seventh place in the Premier League rankings, five points behind the top four. The January transfer window provides Erik ten Hag with an opportunity to strengthen, but the club must first clear some space in their squad, which they have begun to do.

Donny van de Beek’s dismal tenure at Manchester United

When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was still the manager, United agreed to pay Ajax up to £40 million to recruit Donny van de Beek in 2020 (BBC Sport). He’s only appeared in 62 games for the club in all competitions since then, with 35 of those coming in the Premier League, where he’s only started six.

The player may blame his failures on restricted playing time, but the Red Devils may counter that in the minutes he has played, he has only produced two goals and two assists (Transfermarkt).

Van van Beek spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan at Everton, and it now appears that another loan move is in the works since his contract expires in the summer of 2025 (Transfermarkt).

Van van Beek has agreed to a loan move to Eintracht Frankfurt.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Van de Beek’s six-month loan to Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt is now “completed between all parties.” The player has passed his medical, and now the necessary paperwork is being exchanged, so the transaction is effectively completed.

Van van Beek will be eligible to join Frankfurt, who have reached the Europa Conference League play-off round, on 1 January, but he will not be able to make his debut until 13 January, when they face RB Leipzig following the German winter break.

While Van van Beek’s United career isn’t over, it’s difficult to imagine him coming back from this point. If there was one thing that could have changed his fortunes at Old Trafford, it would have been the arrival of his old boss Erik ten Hag in 2022.

The midfielder was a significant member of the Ajax team that reached the Champions League semifinals in 2018/19, as well as winning the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup. He appeared in 57 games that year, finishing with a total of 30 goal involvements (17 goals, 13 assists) (Transfermarkt).

However, there has been no discernible improvement in the player’s standing. He’s actually declined even further this season, clocking only two minutes in the Premier League after returning from injury.

Prior to United’s elimination, he didn’t appear in Europe at all, as Ten Hag decided to leave him out of his Champions League team. According to Turkish outlet A Spor/Sport Witness, the Dutchman was “looking forward to leaving” as a result of the deal.