Matthijs de Ligt got a taste of the challenge at Manchester United when he made his first start against Liverpool.
Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt has seen it all. At the age of 25 he is already a veteran in terms of experience, winning titles at Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich.
De Ligt does not want Manchester United to be the exception, despite the huge challenge laid out in front of the Red Devils.
The centre-back made a £38 million move to United this summer, a bargain for a player of his stature and experience.
Matthijs de Ligt wants United improvement
Matthijs de Ligt has high ambitions for Manchester United. While talk of competing for the top four is the team’s commonly accepted goal for this season, the new signing is aiming higher.
Speaking to United’s club website, De Ligt said: “They won two prizes in two years, obviously really good.
“But I think everybody agrees that United also has to play for the Premier League title, to compete with the other clubs that are fighting for this title.
“I think that’s a really nice challenge and nice project what I really look forward to try to help the team [with] as much as possible.”
Last season United finished down in eighth place, and the excitement of the FA Cup win is wearing off a little now, with reality hitting amid a poor start to 2024/25.
Erik ten Hag’s side rank 14th after three games, having lost two matches already. The manager is already under a little pressure.
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De Ligt supportive of Ten Hag
Matthijs de Ligt worked with Erik ten Hag at Ajax, and he says he shares the manager’s vision in terms of professionalism.
The defender explained: “He demands, every day, every moment of the training session, he demands a lot.
“Not only on the training pitch, but also outside; how you behave, how you take care of your body, how you rest, how you sleep. And he’s really into discipline.
“That suits really well with the way I see being a professional footballer.”
De Ligt is wise enough to be able to brush off the defeat to Liverpool – but he will also recognise the sheer task of the challenge he has walked into.
He wants to help United compete for titles, but more realistic targets are currently being set with good reason.
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