Eintracht Frankfurt manager Dino Toppmoller has issued an apology to Manchester United's Donny van de Beek.
Van de Beek joined Frankfurt on loan from Man United during the January transfer window.
The Bundesliga outfit paid a minimal fee to secure his services for the rest of the 2023/24 campaign and have an option to make the deal permanent for £9.3 million in the summer.
But Van de Beek has played just three games for his new team since leaving Old Trafford.
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And he was omitted from the club's Europa Conference League squad for the knockout stages ahead of taking on Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise.
It proved to be a difficult decision for Toppmoller, who apologised to the Dutch midfielder for leaving him out of his revised squad.
The German boss explained: "He’s only played a total of four games in the last two years, so it won’t happen overnight.
"But I have 100 per cent confidence in his quality, he’ll definitely help us in the second half of the season.
"I told Donny that I was sorry but also what I expected from him now."
Van de Beek, however, impressed Toppmoller with his reaction to being snubbed of a spot in the Europa Conference League squad.
The 26-year-old scored a goal and registered two assists in a behind-closed-doors friendly last Saturday.
"That showed me that he can handle the decision well," Toppmoller added.
"He is ready to take on the challenge."
Van de Beek is in his second loan spell following his £35 million move to Man United from Ajax in the summer of 2020.
He spent time at Everton in the 2021/22 campaign, making seven appearances, scoring one goal.
Van de Beek, who has played 62 matches in all competitions for the Red Devils, will be hoping to resurrect his career in Germany.
Topics: Donny van de Beek, Eintracht Frankfurt, Manchester United, Football
Nasir Jabbar