How many times in the last few years have Manchester United signed a player who could conceivably stroll straight into the starting XI of Real Madrid or Barcelona?
Bruno Fernandes, certainly. The brilliant Portuguese would walk into any team on the planet.
It is no secret, meanwhile, that Real Madrid are big admirers of Leny Yoro, the jewell in Ineos’ crown thus far. You could make a case for Lisandro Martinez too, arguably the finest left-sided centre-half on the planet when fit and ferocious.
But the tally, realistically, stops at three.
Or, at least, it did until Matthijs de Ligt completed his £38 million move from Bayern Munich to Manchester United last week.
There may be concerns over his fitness record – De Ligt missed 18 games for club and country last season thanks largely to a knee ligament tear – but in terms of pure footballing quality, Man United may have just got themselves a bargain.
Manchester United legend hails Matthijs de Ligt deal
On Sky Sports, pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher were tasked with ranking three of the Premier League’s biggest-money signings this summer.
And both the United and Liverpool legends agree that De Ligt deserves top spot above Chelsea winger Pedro Neto and Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke, with Carragher putting those Anfield allegiances aside while labelling De Ligt a centre-back of Clasico credentials.
“He is the best player (of the three), I think,” Carragher says. “He’s a Barcelona-type of player or even maybe a Real Madrid.
“He’s got the pedigree in terms of where he’s come from and the clubs he’s played for.”
Interestingly, The Athletic report that De Ligt was indeed on Barcelona’s radar. The chance to reunite with Ten Hag, however, encouraged him to choose United over the La Liga giants as well as Paris Saint-Germain.
De Ligt only turned 25 this month, signing that Man United contract on the day of his birth.
Despite his relatively young age, the Red Devils’ new number four arrives having played over 350 games for Ajax, Juventus, Bayern Munich and the Dutch national team.
“I would like to think it’s going to be De Ligt. I would like to think De Ligt is going to be the best signing,” former Man United right-back Neville said when making his own selection.
“I think these two (De Ligt and Neto) are going to have the most transformative impact on their teams. United have to go from eighth up to third or fourth, and Chelsea have to go from fifth.”
Former Bayern Munich ace hoping for first Red Devils start
De Ligt made his Man United debut off the bench late on in Friday’s 1-0 win over Fulham.
Ten Hag’s former Ajax captain may have to be patient in pursuit of his first full start – Harry Maguire deserves to keep his place after saving United’s bacon last time out – but it feels like only a matter of time before De Ligt is one of the first names on the team sheet.
“They are getting a young, ball-playing centre-back who has got experience at the elite level,” European football expert David Cartlidge says via the On the Continent podcast, speaking about Matthijs de Ligt.
“And who, for me, can still potentially be a world-class centre-back as well.
“I think (Man United have played this deal) really well. I think it’s a phenomenal move for Man United. Think back to the start of the window, they were chasing Jarrad Branthwaite and getting quoted £70 – 75 million for him. They’ve managed to get De Ligt and Mazraoui for below that price.
“It’s an excellent bit of business to get two players of their ages to add to that depth. A clear improvement on what they had, and what they have.
“So they should be really excited about that.”
- READ MORE: Manchester United confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25
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