Erik ten Hag: 'Donny van de Beek must fight for regular Manchester United role'

The Netherlands international has now started the team's last three matches, playing from the first whistle against Real Sociedad and Aston Villa (twice), but he has been withdrawn in all three fixtures.

Van de Beek again found it difficult to make his mark against Villa in the EFL Cup on Thursday evening, and he was ultimately substituted in the 62nd minute of the contest.

There has been intense speculation surrounding the 25-year-old's future at Old Trafford, as he has struggled to make his mark since a move from Ajax in September 2020.

Ten Hag has said that he has seen positives from Van de Beek in the recent matches, but the head coach wants a lot more from the player that he managed at Ajax.

"Yeah, I see the opinion, but when I watched back the performance against [Real] Sociedad and also at Villa, he is in the positions that I expect no.10s to do and nowadays that tends [to be] really difficult to show themselves," Ten Hag told reporters.

"If we have the romantic idea from the no.10 who is the playmaker, giving the final passes, if they have to play in the middle of the park that is really difficult there, because nowadays all the good teams close the middle of the park.

"So it is really difficult to get a lot of ball touches. That is not the player Donny van de Beek is, but what he is doing well is his positioning and his movements into space with strikers, especially with that no.9. That combination is really good, positioning and anticipation in and out of possession, and he did it to my satisfaction in the last games.

"But I have seen he is not on the scoring list, he is not on the assisting list, and he can do better. I think he's still not there on his limits. I have seen him better in the past. But I think positioning-wise, he is acting quite well. But he has to make that step up."

There has been speculation surrounding a possible January exit, with a number of teams believed to be considering making a loan offer at the start of 2023.

Van de Beek finished last season on loan at Everton, but Ten Hag has said that it 'does not make sense' for the Dutchman to leave on another short-term basis.

"I don't think a loan [makes] sense. It's either he fights [for] himself and proves himself, in this atmosphere in this environment, or he goes. But for me, there is still a way for him, there Is still a perspective for him. It's not going to be easy because the competition there is really strong," said the Man United boss.

Van de Beek, who has been left out of the Netherlands squad for the 2022 World Cup, has scored twice and registered two assists in 57 appearances for the Red Devils since his arrival.