Manchester United player set to leave as agent claims Erik ten Hag 'blocked' sale 'at last minute' last summer

Donny van de Beek's time at Manchester United appears to be over, but the player's agent has suggested that Erik ten Hag essentially blocked a move away last summer.

The 27-year-old midfielder has struggled to make an impact at United ever since his move in 2020 from Ajax for a reported initial £35m.

Signed under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Van de Beek has scored twice in 62 games for the Old Trafford club since then, and has never been able to nail down a consistent starting place.

His time at United has been broken up by a loan spell at Everton in the second portion of the 2021/22 campaign, which yielded one goal in seven appearances at the Goodison Park club.

At present, Van de Beek is away from United after spending the second half of this season on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Netherlands international has made eight appearances for the Bundesliga side, but like at United, has struggled for a regular starting berth.

Van de Beek United contract runs out next summer, and there is an option for the German side to make the loan switch a permanent one.

However, according to comments from the player's agent, it appears Frankfurt are not going to activate that option, and claims a switch to La Liga for the midfielder was stopped last summer by Ten Hag.

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Guido Albers has confirmed the German side will not be purchasing his client for £9.5m at the end of the campaign as things stand, and has claimed that Ten Hag essentially blocked a transfer to Real Sociedad last summer due to the United boss keeping him at Old Trafford until very late in the window.

Speaking to ESPN’s Goedemorgen Eredivisie, Albers said: "I came to an agreement with Frankfurt for him. Frankfurt still had an option until June 30, which they will not exercise.

"Officially he is now going back to Manchester United and I am now in discussions with him.

"Donny does not want to stay in the Premier League, also because United do not want that. That is not a good choice for him. He needs to return to a club that plays good football. In any case, he will not return to Ajax.

"My preference was to look in Spain, Italy or France. If I could get him in Spain or Italy that would be fantastic, at a club where he will play as a No.10 like he played at Ajax.

"He was very close to a transfer to Real Sociedad last summer. That was cancelled at the last minute because Erik ten Hag wanted to keep him until the last minute. Then he ended up at Frankfurt."