Not been a strong start for him at all, but he's by no means a write-off. Fred, for example, looked like an absolute fecking competition winner for multiple games in the not very distant past. Now after a run in the team and some confidence, I worry for our midfield when he's not in there.
Van de Beek comes to us much more highly regarded than Fred was, from a stronger league, and off the back of being a key performer in a very creditable Champions League run. He's earned the kind of faith, time, and chances that Fred was eventually given.