Matthijs de Ligt: What Ten Hag disciple can add for Man Utd and why Juventus, Bayern moves didn’t work out

The imminent arrival of Matthijs de Ligt at Manchester United comes as a timely boost for the 20-time champions, with the 2024-25 Premier League season about to kick off.

United have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich that will see them fork out an initial £38.6 million for the Dutch defender, who will join the Red Devils alongside full-back Noussair Mazraoui, the Moroccan full-back also set to sign from the Bavarian giants for around £15 million.

Defensive reinforcements are greatly needed at Old Trafford as the new campaign nears. United endured miserable luck with injuries last term and their fortunes have not improved in that department.

Teenage centre-back sensation Leny Yoro, signed from Lille this summer in a deal worth up to £58.9 million, is set to miss up to three months of action after suffering a broken foot during pre-season, while injuries to the likes of Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire leave Erik ten Hag’s side extremely short-handed at the back.

De Ligt and Mazraoui – both of whom previously played under Ten Hag at Ajax – provide some much-needed depth, with the latter a direct replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is joining West Ham United in a £15 million switch.

It is De Ligt, though, whose arrival is most intriguing owing to the fact his career thus far has seen him play regularly at the highest levels of the game while now three times being the subject of blockbuster transfers, yet there is a sense he has not yet lived up to his potential.

Emergence under Ten Hag at Ajax

The 25-year-old defender came through Ajax’s vaunted youth academy to earn a debut in the first team at the age of 17, even netting a header from a corner in the game, a cup match against Willem II, to become the club’s second-youngest scorer. By the end of the 2017-18 season, he’d become the youngest player to start for the Netherlands senior side since 1931, the youngest player ever to captain Ajax and the youngest to start a major European final, playing in a defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League.

Appearing physically, tactically and mentally mature beyond his tender years, the imposing 6ft 2ins centre-back quickly became regarded as one of the top prospects in Europe in his position. Midway through the 2018-19 campaign, his status as one of the Continent’s top youngsters was rubberstamped as he became the first defender ever to win the Golden Boy award.

De Ligt starred in Ajax’s remarkable run to the semi-finals of the Champions League that season, impressing with his leadership and quality on the ball. The Dutch side eliminated Real Madrid in the last-16 before De Ligt scored the winning goal as they knocked out Juventus in the quarters.

His performance against the Old Lady evidently caught the eye of the decision makers in Turin. The following summer, Juventus splashed €75 million, plus another €10.5 million in add-ons, to sign De Ligt, who was still only 19 years old.

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What happened at Juventus and Bayern?

De Ligt was brought in to learn at the feet of Juve icon Giorgio Chiellini before eventually taking over from the veteran Italian defender. But across three seasons in Serie A, the Dutch star experienced a tumultuous time of managerial changes, switches in system and a greater scrutiny on the errors he committed.

So in the summer of 2022, he moved to Bayern, this time in a deal worth up to €77 million. Under Julian Nagelsmann, De Ligt started 27 Bundesliga games in his first season at the Allianz Arena, playing a key role in a title triumph. His place was less assured with Thomas Tuchel in charge last season, though, when a combination of injuries and inconsistent form saw the former Ajax star make just 16 starts in the German top flight, leading to him being deemed expendable this summer. He has also slid down the pecking order at international level, remaining an unused substitute throughout the Netherlands’ run to the semi-finals at Euro 2024.

And after now having fallen short of expectations after two mega moves, there are question marks over whether De Ligt is capable of elevating United’s backline.

“He’s had a lot of injuries, hasn’t started many games over the last two or three years and Man Utd are spending £45-50 million on him,” legendary United defender Rio Ferdinand recently commented on his YouTube channel.

“Is he going to come into Man Utd and make a difference? I think it’s a big ask for him and all eyes are going to be on him. Big pressure, big opportunity for him, but there’s a lot of uncertainty I think with this signing because of his previous seasons with two big clubs not going as well as we’d have anticipated.

“I don’t think he’s the answer, but it’s a great opportunity for him to go in there and go, ‘You know what guys? I’m going to rectify my last couple of seasons. That’s not the real me, and I’m going to show you’.”

Reason for optimism at Old Trafford

But while the scepticism is justified due to United’s sizeable outlay and De Ligt’s sketchy recent past, there is plenty of reason for optimism as he looks to rebuild his once promising career at Old Trafford.

Even in limited game time for Bayern last term, De Ligt showcased a skillset and level of play that could prove hugely influential at United. His outstanding technique in possession saw him produce an average passing accuracy of 93.1 per cent in the Bundesliga and Champions League, which was higher than any United player and ranked in the 96th percentile among centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues.

He also ranked in the 89th percentile for progressive passes per 90 (5.57), which was better than any United centre-back for last season, and the 72nd percentile for aerial duels won (2.47), a mark bettered only by Harry Maguire (3.9).

At 25, De Ligt conceivably still has his best years ahead of him. And if anyone knows how to tap into his vast potential, it’s his old Ajax boss.

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