'What am I doing?' - Forgotten former Manchester United man reveals intense personal doubts after being exiled under Erik ten Hag prior to permanent exit

Donny van de Beek swapped Ajax for United in 2020 for £40 million ($50m) but made just 23 starts over 62 appearances for the Premier League giants. The Dutchman underwhelmed during loan spells at Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt and now he has opened up on how he struggled being apart from his partner Estelle during his time in Germany at the start of this year.

He told Voetbal Primeur: “I came from so far away, needed rhythm and a series of matches, but that was simply not possible. The result was that I started to drive myself crazy. I had to show what I could do in a match, which meant I went way too much and passed myself by. In addition, my home situation was anything but pleasant. Estelle was heavily pregnant, and we decided that she would stay in England for the birth. My daughter together with her. She in Manchester, I in Germany. I was there on my own in Frankfurt. My family in England, things weren’t going well with football. I thought during that period sometimes really: What am I doing? If you play so little, you also lose confidence. That starts to eat away at you, and that’s not good as a player.”

Van de Beek didn't play a great deal under former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his game time decreased with Ten Hag in the dugout, despite playing under the Dutchman at Ajax. It was right for the 27-year-old to cut ties with the Red Devils and now he is finding his feet at Girona after joining them permanently this summer.

The 19-time Netherlands international could feature for Girona in their Friday night clash at home to lowly Real Valladolid in La Liga action.