- Struggling for game time
- Big fan of other sports
- Hoping to catch Ten Hag's eye
WHAT HAPPENED? The Netherlands international midfielder has found the going tough at Old Trafford since completing a 2020 transfer from Ajax, with just 53 appearances taken in for the Red Devils as starting berths have been in short supply. He has also spent time out on loan at Everton, but the 25-year-old is doing all he can to keep his body and mind sharp – with that process including a different sport that is very popular in his homeland.
WHAT THEY SAID: Van de Beek has told a Q&A on United’s official website of how he readies himself for training: “My morning routine is… wake up, most of the time we have training, so I drive straight to the training ground, have my breakfast, and then a nice coffee after. I like to drink coffee and be awake a little bit and then we have training before we go into the gym [and do] the prep. We play a little bit of darts, we have a dartboard as well at the club so we play a few games with some people and then we train.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Van de Beek is a countryman of darting world champions such as Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld and has also claimed that his superpower of choice would relate to ability on the oche, saying: “Superpower? That’s a good question. I like to watch darts as well outside of football, so to be a top-class darts player would be nice!”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VAN DE BEEK? The Dutchman has taken in just 19 minutes of Premier League football for United this season, from three substitute appearances, but will be hoping to figure more prominently in Erik ten Hag’s plans heading forward.
