Keith Gillespie has expressed his frustration at Manchester United’s treatment of midfielder Donny van de Beek in an exclusive interview with This Is Futbol.
The Netherlands international has barely had a look-in under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season.
Van de Beek made just four Premier League starts this season, one of which came against Wolves on Sunday, and he played just three minutes against Fulham previously.
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It is a bizarre fall from grace for the former Ajax midfielder, who was signed for a fee of around £35m last summer.
Gillespie does not understand why he cannot get a game, and he wonders whether United simply believe he is too similar to Bruno Fernandes.
However, if that is the case, he has questioned exactly why United felt the need to sign him, and merely sit him on the bench.
Speaking exclusively to TIF, the former United academy product said: “I don’t know what he’s got to do to start, maybe they’re thinking he is too similar to Fernandes.
“He’s obviously not going to start ahead of Bruno Fernandes. But you’d like to have thought that when they brought him to the club that you haven’t brought him as a squad player, you’ve bought him to find a place in the team for him.
“And if he’s that similar to Bruno Fernandes, you don’t buy him, because Fernandes, when fit, he starts every game. And he wants to start every game.”
Gillespie also believes that Van de Beek will likely seek a move away from the club in the near future due to the treatment, and he does not believe he will be short of suitors.
He added: “It’s a really strange one for me, it’s a strange signing, because if you’re going to spend £40 million on a player like that, a top, top player, and then not play him, what’s the point?
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up away from the club because he’s not going to be happy sitting on the bench every week at Man United. I’m sure there are plenty of people who would be very interested in signing him.”