Van de Beek out for season with knee injury

Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek has been ruled out for the rest of the season, Erik ten Hag has confirmed.

Van de Beek suffered a knee injury during the 3-0 win over Bournemouth, and Ten Hag said the Netherlands international will miss the rest of the campaign.

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“It is his knee,” Ten Hag said at a news conference on Friday.

“In the long term, it is looking really good, he will be back for the start of preseason. The rest of the season he is out.”

Van de Beek arrived at Old Trafford from Ajax for £40 million in 2020 but has struggled for regular games under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick and Ten Hag.

The 25-year-old, who was left out of Netherlands’ World Cup squad, is set to return to training in the summer.

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“Our thoughts are with him,” Ten Hag added. “It is terrible when you are in the middle of the season and you get a bad tackle, bad injury — it is always really disappointing, and thoughts, feelings are with the player.

“We are now happy his knee, in the long term, is good. In the same moments, mixed feelings and disappointment that he is out of this season.”

Speaking ahead of Manchester City‘s visit to Old Trafford on Saturday, Ten Hag confirmed the club are close to signing striker Wout Weghorst on loan for the rest of the season.

Weghorst is expected to be confirmed as a United player on Friday but has not been registered in time to feature in the derby and instead could make his debut against Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

“I think we are close, so he won’t be available for tomorrow [Saturday against Man City],” Ten Hag said.

The United manager will be without Diogo Dalot against City after the right-back was forced off with a muscle injury against Charlton Athletic on Tuesday, and Anthony Martial, who also missed the game, will undergo a fitness test on Saturday morning.