Patrice Evra and Gary Neville are lost for words on why Manchester United signed Donny van de Beek only to leave him benched.
Van de Beek, who joined United in the summer from Ajax despite links to Real Madrid and Barcelona, has started just two of his seven appearances this season, with both coming in the Carabao Cup.
While the Dutchman scored on his Premier League debut against Crystal Palace, he’s only played a handful of minutes in the English top-flight.
Saturday’s goalless stalemate against Chelsea also saw Donny left as an unused substitute. And while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assured reporters his chance will come, Evra can’t help but feel the 23-year-old simply isn’t needed.
“We’re talking about Van de Beek, nothing against the kid, but why have we bought him?” Evra said on Sky Sports. “He’s watching the game from the stand every game. We don’t need him, that’s the truth.”
Solskjaer has instead favored using the likes of Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Fred, and Nemanja Matic over Van de Beek.
Neville added: “What is a little bit of a mystery is the use of Van de Beek since he’s been signed for £40 million.
“He doesn’t seem to be at the forefront of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans in every game. It’s a bit of a mystery that one. And the more he doesn’t start, and the more he doesn’t come on, the more you’re thinking, ‘Well £40m player, ordinarily, you’d get him in the team’.
“He must be thinking: ‘What am I doing here?’ at this moment in time.”
The former Ajax star will hope to get his chance in United’s upcoming Champions League game against RB Leipzig on Wednesday night at Old Trafford.
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