I signed for Manchester United instead of Real Madrid and my transfer was a disaster

"Everything was agreed with Real Madrid, but it fell through," Donny van de Beek told a Dutch newspaper shortly after signing for Manchester United from Ajax.

"At the time I was angry and I wondered if that sort of opportunity would come around again. I guess it was because the club couldn't sell the players they had planned to."

Van de Beek was set on a move to the Santiago Bernabéu and his move to Old Trafford was a transfer of convenience for all parties. United wanted to sign Jack Grealish that summer but he was too expensive and James Maddison, the second on the shortlist, was valued at £80million.

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After enjoying an excellent season with Ajax, Van de Beek was next on the playmaker shortlist and with Madrid having stalled, the midfielder was offered to United for £35m rising to £40m.

"Please take good care of our Donny, and help him dream," former Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar wrote in an open letter to United supporters in the Manchester Evening News.

Almost four years later, Van de Beek's time in Manchester has been a nightmare, not a dream. He arrived with the world at his feet, but he failed to nail down a starting place under four different managers and he now has the challenge of reviving his career on loan with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Last month, Van de Beek signed for Eintracht on loan for the remainder of the season and an option to buy was included, although that already looks unlikely to be triggered.

Unfortunately, Van de Beek's nightmare has continued in Germany. He was hooked at half-time in his third appearance, he was an unused substitute in his fourth and although he came on