Donny van de Beek, currently on loan from Manchester United, has identified Luke Shaw as the most overlooked teammate he’s had throughout his professional journey.
After a high-profile £35 million move from Ajax to Old Trafford in 2020, Van de Beek found it challenging to meet the high expectations set for him. In search of a career revival, he made a loan switch to Eintracht Frankfurt this January.
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While Frankfurt holds the option to permanently acquire Van de Beek for £9.5 million when summer arrives, it’s unlikely they will exercise this option, considering the 27-year-old’s struggle to secure a consistent starting role.
In a recent conversation with the Dutch outlet Ziggo Sport, Van de Beek expressed his openness to rejoining Ajax, the club where his journey began and where he initially rose to prominence as an exceptionally gifted young player.
‘Why not? Ajax has always been a special place for me, so we certainly cannot rule that out.
‘At Ajax only one thing matters: winning and becoming champions,’ he said. ‘I have also had mixed years due to injuries. But now I’m looking forward again.’
After a frustrating few years, Van de Beek is ‘convinced’ he can turn his fortunes around if he puts in the work and remains focussed.
‘If I keep working hard, I’m confident things will turn out fine,’ he added.
‘It is up to you to turn it around. I’m working on that. I am convinced of my own qualities. ‘If I stay fit and keep working hard, I will definitely be fine.’
After talking up a potential return to Ajax, Van de Beek was invited back to the Eredivisie side to conduct a quickfire Q&A with the club’s social media team and one of his answers has caught many by surprise.
When asked to name the most underrated player he’s ever played with, the Netherlands international said: ‘Luke Shaw. Very underrated player. He’s very good.’
Shaw, who has been sidelined due to a thigh injury since February, was anticipated to make a comeback for Manchester United’s FA Cup final against the reigning champions, Manchester City, on May 25.
Nonetheless, during a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, United’s manager Erik ten Hag indicated that Shaw has encountered a ‘minor setback.’ Consequently, the likelihood of the defender participating in the match at Wembley is exceedingly slim.
In another segment of Van de Beek’s Q&A session, he reflected on his strong bond with Dennis Bergkamp, under whose guidance he ascended through the ranks of Ajax’s youth system.
Bergkamp, an iconic former Arsenal striker, is also Van de Beek’s partner Estelle’s father, and the couple welcomed their second child earlier in the year.
Quizzed on what he learned from Bergkamp, Van de Beek said: ‘Enough… he was my coach in the academy when I was ten years old.
‘I had lots of conversations so I learned many things.’
