Donny van de Beek addresses Celtic transfer link as Manchester United ace admits 'everything can happen'

Reported Celtic target Donny van de Beek has admitted that “everything can happen” after he scored the winning goal in his comeback game against Lyon at Murrayfied.

The Manchester United midfielder has been linked with a loan move to the Scottish champions after failing to establish himself at Old Trafford and he confirmed a move elsewhere was a possibility. His efforts to establish himself at the club were not helped by sustaining a serious knee injury in January against Bournemouth. Murrayfield was his first appearance since then.

Van de Beek scored with a well-struck volley four minutes after coming on against Lyon to give Erik ten Hag’s side a 1-0 win in a friendly watched by a crowd of 48,484 in Edinburgh. The 26-year-old Dutchman was later asked specifically about the link with Celtic. He answered that anything was possible as he attempts to get his career back on track after making only 60 appearances for United since signing for £35 million in 2020.

He also spent time on loan at Everton and could be sent out on loan again, with Celtic one of a number of clubs said to be interested in the former Ajax midfielder.

Manchester United's Donny van de Beek celebrates scoring in the pre-season friendly win over Lyon at Murrayfield. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

“I have been linked with so many clubs,” he said. “You know how it is now. Most of the time things are not true. I don’t know. I am not focusing on that. Everything is open.

“I am really proud to wear this shirt and I realise that every day. I will push and let’s see what happens." He admitted leaving Manchester United "could be a possibility".

Van de Beek was clearly emotional after scoring. His last goal for Manchester United was against Watford in 2021.

“After such a big injury and you wait so long to come back, of course, I know it is just a friendly game but it’s a massive moment,” he said. “You realise why you enjoy football so much. It was a big moment for me even though as I say it was just a friendly game.

"Let’s see, I have come back from injury now and I have trained a few weeks now and have played my first minutes. I am fit. I still need to keep going and try and push as hard as possible.”

It is clear he wants regular game time after working so hard to regain fitness and Manchester United might be unable to offer that as Ten Hag continues re-building the side.

“What I say, for now it is hard to say what my future is,” said Van de Beek. “I come back now after injury and I am fit now, I have played my first minutes and I trained for a few weeks. I will try to push as hard as possible. Everything can happen so it is hard to say now where my future will be. In football, you never know.”

Asked if the door was still open for him at Manchester United, he said: “Yes, but there is also a possibility that I move. So everything is open. It is hard to say where my future is. But I will focus now on getting as fit as possible and just push.”