Paul Scholes’ Eric Dier and Matthijs de Ligt claims are simply untrue, Man Utd have just signed Bayern’s best centre-back

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Paul Scholes caused some controversy with his comments on incoming Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt.

Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt is heading to Manchester United, completing his medical with the Red Devils.

De Ligt rejoins manager Erik ten Hag, who once made him captain at Ajax.

And he may arrive at United with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove, after a slightly difficult time at Bayern Munich amid changes in management.

• READ: Who is Matthijs de Ligt? Meet Manchester United’s new centre-back

Breaking down Scholes’ Eric Dier myth

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes caused some controversy with his comments on Matthijs de Ligt, speaking to The Overlap.

Scholes asked why De Ligt was not a regular starter for Bayern and suggested he had lost his place to Eric Dier.

He said: “From Bayern Munich, he has not played for them. That has to be a big concern for me, especially when Eric Dier is playing in front of him. I’m not joking, that is a massive concern for me.”

Yet this was totally incorrect.

Eric Dier played 15 games for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga after signing for the club in January, and in 14 of them, Matthijs de Ligt was a starter.

So Dier played alongside De Ligt, rather than instead of him, with Thomas Tuchel deciding they made a good pairing.

• READ: The shaping of Matthijs De Ligt, the Golden Boy winner who had to play down Franz Beckenbauer comparisons

Bayern fans vote De Ligt best defender

Bayern Munich fan site Bavarian Football Works also dispute Paul Scholes assessment, writing that their readers regarded Matthijs de Ligt as their best defender.

De Ligt won their end of season poll for best defender with 58 per cent of the votes, ahead of Kim Min-Jae and Dayot Upamecano.

The Dutchman did miss a small stretch of games through injury and Bayern were slow to reintroduce him to the starting line-up and regretted it.

They write: “To be very clear, part of the reason went trophyless last season is because Tuchel refused to play De Ligt as Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae were running on fumes for a good portion of the season.”

But there was absolutely no suggestion Eric Dier was played ahead of him, as Scholes suggests.

BFW add: “Manchester United is getting a 24-year-old gem of a center-back, who is a leader and high performer.”

United are set to conclude the signings of De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern, with both set to be available for selection for the Premier League opener.