Matthijs de Ligt reunites with Erik ten Hag for the second time, having previously played under him at Ajax.
Matthijs de Ligt, once one of Europe’s most sought-after defenders, has now joined his fourth major European club, Manchester United, following a £38.5m move from Bayern Munich. At just 25, De Ligt has already played for Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern, with each transfer fee smaller than the last, signaling his unfulfilled potential. Despite starting his career strongly at Ajax where he captained the team to the Champions League semi-finals at 19 and won the 2018 Golden Boy award, De Ligt has struggled to find consistent form.
During his time at Juventus and Bayern, he experienced mixed performances and faced challenges with positional play and concentration. At Juventus, the established defensive duo of Bonucci and Chiellini overshadowed him, while at Bayern, he clashed with Thomas Tuchel and lost his starting spot. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, particularly in the Bundesliga, De Ligt has yet to meet the high expectations set during his Ajax days.
At Manchester United, Matthijs De Ligt will compete with Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez for a starting role in Erik ten Hag’s defense, reuniting with former Ajax teammates like Antony and Andre Onana. United aims to improve their defensive record and De Ligt hopes to reignite his career and finally establish himself as a top-tier defender in the Premier League.
The challenge for him now lies in maintaining consistency and handling setbacks, issues he has faced since his move from Ajax to Juventus in 2019.
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