Erik ten Hag ended one Manchester United career and started another in Everton win

As one door opens another one closes. But in this case it has been a revolving one for Manchester United.

The club have made serious attempts to revamp their midfield in recent months. Since appointing Erik ten Hag as manager last summer, United have made three permanent signings in that particular position with Marcel Sabitzer and Sofyan Amrabat sworn in as stop-gap options to complement their £120million outlay.

Only the long-term solution was, arguably, there in-house all along. Kobbie Mainoo has long since been tipped for big things at Old Trafford and beyond and now has the platform to ignite his promising career.

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In giving the academy graduate a belated debut, Ten Hag presented supporters - who were already familiar with Mainoo and his talents - a welcome glimpse into the future. Coupled with that astonishing opener from Alejandro Garnacho, there is a double reason for match-goers to be optimistic.

However, as is so often the case in the cut throat world that is professional sport, an opportunity for the next big thing for United in Mainoo has come at the expense of one of his more experienced teammates. Indeed, that win against Everton marked the line in the sand for Donny van de Beek at United.

For one reason or another, things have not gone to plan for the Dutchman since his dream move to United three summers ago. Even a reunion with Ten Hag - his one-time Ajax manager and mentor - has failed to map out a new pathway into the first-team picture.

The writing was on the wall for Van de Beek this summer. He was deemed surplus and made available for transfer, but while that would-be