How Good is Matthijs de Ligt, and What Lies Ahead for Him at Man Utd?

Manchester United are moving quickly in the summer transfer window, with new owners INEOS aiming to get much of their business done before the Red Devils travel to the United States for their pre-season tour. Erik ten Hag will be hoping to build on a mixed 2023-24 campaign, which ultimately ended in FA Cup success following victory at Wembley against Man City. 

However, problems remain within the squad, especially following the departure of Raphael Varane. At least one central defender is expected to move to Old Trafford this summer, with talks ongoing surrounding moves for Jarrod Branthwaite and Leny Yoro. 

However, United are close to bringing in one defender at this early stage, as personal terms have been agreed with Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt. But, will the Dutchman be a good fit at Old Trafford?

What Will de Ligt Bring To Man United?

Man United are keen to get the deal for de Ligt done as quickly as possible, ensuring he has ample time to integrate with his new teammates ahead of the Premier League season. The Dutchman’s potential move has led to backlash from Bayern Munich fans, with over 60,000 supporters starting a petition in an attempt to block the move. 

De Ligt struggled for game time last term after suffering from injury issues, but he still made 22 appearances across all competitions, scoring twice. 

On average, he won 4.28 duels per match, and made just under one tackle per 90. A key stat that could have caught the attention of ten Hag and United officials is de Ligt’s excellent pass accuracy of 94.03%, which is higher than the averages of United’s current central defenders. 

The Dutchman will also form an excellent partnership with Lisandro Martínez, as the 24-year-old will be the more aggressive in aerial battles after averaging 2.66 winning duels in the Bundesliga last term. 

Leadership Qualities

United’s defensive issues last season were largely due to players being unavailable, but there was also a lack of leadership at critical moments, which was especially amplified when Martínez and Varane were reunited in the club’s FA Cup final win over City. 

De Ligt will bring excellent leadership qualities to the team for the forthcoming season after previously captaining Ajax and Juventus for periods. 

The defender was a crucial member of the Ajax side that reached the semi-final stage of the Champions League. His ability to set up defensive lines will be important for United going forward, especially given that Varane has departed the club, and he could be joined out of the exit door at the Theatre of Dreams by Harry Maguire.

Career To Date

De Ligt is widely considered to be one of the best defenders in world football, and he should seamlessly adapt to life at the Theatre of Dreams after previously spending time at massive teams such as Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich. 

The Dutchman’s standing at the game was felt immediately, as he scored a header on his Ajax debut in September 2016, becoming the second-youngest scorer in the club’s history. Further history was made in May 2017, as he became the youngest player in history to start in a European final, but the Dutch club were beaten in the Europa League final by Man United.

De Ligt moved to Juventus in the summer of 2019, winning the Kopa Trophy on his way to winning the Serie A title. After a three-year stay in Italy, the Dutchman joined Bayern Munich in 2022, winning the domestic title in his first season with the Bavarian giants. 

He has also made his mark at the international level, becoming the youngest Dutch player to represent the Netherlands since 1931 in 2017. De Ligt went on to play parts at EURO 2020 and the 2022 World Cup. He made it to the final squad for EURO 2024 but remained on the bench the entire tournament. 

However, following an injury-hit 2023-24 season, hopes will be high that he will be able to get his career back on track when his move to United is finalised.