Michael Carrick ‘delighted’ to see Donny van de Beek play regularly at Everton
Everton find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle this season despite adding some high-quality players in the January transfer window.
One of those winter additions was Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek who left Old Trafford on loan in search of game time.
That search led him to Goodison Park where he became Frank Lampard’s first signing as Toffees boss and he has played every Premier League game since.
United first-team coach Michael Carrick says he is delighted to see the 24-year-old getting regular game time away from Old Trafford.
“I am delighted for Donny,” Carrick said to Premier League productions, as quoted by Manchester Evening News. “He is a terrific lad. Great attitude.
“Football is funny, at times. Sometimes things don’t work how you want them to work for a variety of reasons when you make a move to a certain club.
“I am delighted he is playing. He needed games. He obviously didn’t have enough, he will be saying, over the last year or so.
“He’s so versatile as well. He has got different strengths. He has played in a three tonight [against Tottenham], but I think he is really dangerous in and around the box. But he is really clever in and around the box.”
Not much better
The signing of the £100,000-a-week [Mail] Dutchman was resoundingly hailed by Everton supporters before he stepped foot on the pitch in the blue of the Toffees.
But the club’s form hasn’t improved one iota since his and Lampard’s arrival and they find themselves teetering above the drop zone, hanging on by one single point.
How long that will last seems to be shrinking by the game as Burnley, Watford and Norwich slowly pick up points below them.
Sean Dyche’s Clarets will be the most worrying of the trio in the drop zone with their experience and togetherness in relegation fights helping them find form when they needed it most.
van de Beek needs to find his absolute best for the first time since he left Ajax for Manchester United in 2020 if he is going to meaningfully contribute to this survival fight.
If he can’t do that, they may as well send him back now.
In other Everton news, the club are among several clubs who are chasing this 30-goal youth striker from the EFL.
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