At his pre-match press conference, ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League clash with old rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag soon found himself returning to a familiar topic.
Who had picked up an injury this week, then, to follow up on Harry Maguire’s blow seven days ago?
It was no real surprise to hear thatMason Mount – who must have walked under 13 ladders while smashing a whole Hall of Mirrors en route from Chelsea to Manchester United – would be missing yet again against Arsenal.
Luke Shaw, meanwhile, has suffered a ‘setback’ in his hopes to be fit in time for the FA Cup final reunion with Man City on March 25. Another few weeks without a recognised left-back. And despite returning to training, that Arsenal clash will come too soon for fans’ favourite Lisandro Martinez.
The injury curse, meanwhile, does not merely seem to be afflicting those currently at Carrington. One of the players loaned out by Man United in January in pursuit of more regular first-team football is facing a race against time of his own as he looks to ensure his most recent appearance was not his last of 2023/24.
Yet more Manchester United injury problems
Dino Toppmoller, the Eintracht Frankfurt coach who was so optimistic about the Dutchman’s arrival four months ago, confirmed at his own pre-match press conference that Donny van de Beek has returned to his native Netherlands for treatment on an injury which will certainly keep him out of tomorrow’s trip to Borussia Monchengladbach.
“He is there because he is having treatment for a problem with his heel, Achilles tendon,” Toppmoller says, speaking to Liga Insider. “He wanted to see his trusted man this week.”
This, in truth, would be a fitting way for Van de Beek’s time in the Bundesliga to end.
While Jadon Sancho has shown a few glittering signs of rediscovering his pre-Man United peak – particularly in that ‘magic’ display vs PSG in the Champions League semi-final first-leg – Van de Beek’s reputation as something of a busted flush has not been helped by a loan spell about as underwhelming as they come.
No one expeted him to fly out of the blocks after so many months on the Man United bench. But, after describing the former Ajax ace as an ‘outstanding footballer’, Toppmoller would surely have planned to get more out of Van de Beek than just eight goalless appearances.
Disaster for Donny van de Beek in Germany
The midfield misfit hasn’t started a league match since February. He only got off the bench three times, meanwhile, in eight games before missing last weeks’ 5-1 hammering by champions Bayer Leverkusen through the injury which may yet spell an early end to his Frankfurt career.
“Now, we are doing everything we can to ensure that he can start next week,” Toppmoller adds, refusing to give up on Van de Beek just yet.
“And (he) could possibly be an option for the last home game (against RB Leipzig on May 18).”
Van de Beek will be back at Carrington this summer, Frankfurt understandably reluctant to trigger the £13 million option-to-buy clause in his contract. His return, then, is another issue for Ineos to solve, Man United’s new decision-makers already looking to find buyers for a host of other senior players.
