Paul Ince claims that Solskjaer has ‘taken the p***’ out of van de Beek

"Ole’s actually taken the p*** out of him."

Paul Ince has claimed that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ‘taking the p***’ out of midfielder Donny van de Beek. The Dutchman has played just 154 minutes of football in all competitions for United this season, making just two Premier League appearances, both as a substitute. The 24-year-old, who signed from Ajax for £35million in 2020, has registered just one goal and two assists during his time at Old Trafford. Van de Beek arrived from Amsterdam with a big pedigree, having starred for Ajax in their run to the 2019 Champions League semi-final, but his move to the Red Devils hasn't worked out for either party. Many people have questioned Solskjaer's treatment of the midfielder, with Ince, a former teammate of the Norwegian, among those confused by the situation. The Dutchman has been limited to a number of short cameos this season, having played just four minutes against Atalanta last week and ten minutes against Manchester City on Saturday. Considering his lack of minutes and subsequent opportunities to impress, Ince believes Solskjaer is making a mockery of Van de Beek. "Donny van de Beek gets four minutes against Atalanta. What worries me is the choices Ole makes," Ince told the United Stand podcast. "This is a player who Ole said, ‘Come to Old Trafford, you’re going to start in my team, you’ll cost £40million, you’re going to be the centre hub of the midfield’. "This is what he said and Donny thought, ‘F*** me, this is my dream, this is what I’ve been waiting for’. "Two years down the line he’s on the bench. Ole’s actually taken the p*** out of him." The former United midfielder also suggested that he is 'baffled' by Solskjaer's decision to bring him on late in games, expecting him to change a tie with just minutes to go. "Not only has he taken the p*** out of him, he gives him four minutes against Atalanta and then goes, ‘Oh by the way, here’s your chance, go and have 10 minutes against Manchester City where we’ve not touched the ball for 85 minutes and show me what you can do’," said Ince. "If I’m Donny van de Beek I would’ve said, ‘F*** that, I’m not going on now, you want me to go on for 10 minutes when we haven’t touched the ball for 88 minutes?’ Now you’re taking the p*** out of him even more. "It’s decisions like that baffle me, they really do. I don’t understand. "He stopped Jesse Lingard from going to West Ham because he said he’ll be part of his team. You’re 2-0 down and you don’t bring him on. "You see the situation with Paul Pogba now, he’s starting to get sent off all the time, all that is starting to flare up again. He’ll be gone by the end of the season."

United have lost four of their opening 11 Premier League fixtures and currently sit in sixth position - nine points off league-leaders Chelsea.

Related links:

• Gary Neville responds as Rio Ferdinand calls for Solskjaer sacking
• Sancho could be used at wing-back as Man United seek solution to £73m problem
• Paul Ince accuses Solskjaer of ‘blatantly lying’ to Donny van de Beek