Ian Wright has called on Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek to prove his doubters wrong on loan at Everton, just as Jesse Lingard did in the second half of last season with West Ham.
Van de Beek, 24, has badly struggled to live up to expectations after swapping Ajax for Old Trafford back in August 2020, making just four starts in total in the Premier League across an underwhelming 16-month period.
Crystal Palace had been credited with a strong interest in Van de Beek during the January transfer window, but Everton beat their Premier League rivals to a deal on a frantic deadline day.
Frank Lampard’s presence proved a key factor in Van de Beek decision to push through a temporary switch to Goodison Park and the Dutchman will no doubt be raring to get started after such a disappointing spell with United.
However, Van de Beek and fellow January addition. Dele Alli, must wait to make their debuts as they are cup-tied for this weekend’s FA Cup fourth-round meeting between the Toffees and Brentford.
Asked which player he’s rooting for to regain their form in the second of the campaign, Wright replied: ‘Obviously, I’ve got a connection with him through Dennis [Bergkamp], through his wife-to-be, and I’d have to say Dele as well because of my connection with Dele from way back.
‘But I’m going to go with Donny because the move from Ajax to Manchester United was a massive move and a great move. We were all thinking of the great things that he was going to do.
‘It hasn’t happened and I know that there’s an unbelievable player in there. With Frank taking him and Dele, it’s looking very, very different for Everton.
‘I’m hoping that can work for him. He’s going to need a bit of time, but then again I hope he doesn’t need time so he can show – just like when Jesse [Lingard] went to West Ham and was just blasting – I hope that Donny does the same so we can see that.
‘Those people, what they’ve done to that guy in the last couple of years is wrong.’
Speaking to Everton’s official website on deadline day, Van de Beek revealed just how instrumental Lampard was in convincing him to join the club.
‘I think it’s a great club. Of course, the team at the moment is a little bit too low in the league,’ the ex-Ajax midfielder explained.
‘But I think there are really good players and I come because I want them to help on the way up.
‘Also, I had a good meeting with the new coach and that was really positive.’
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