Manchester United have signed Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich and here is why it is an exciting move.
Tuesday saw Manchester United complete a double swoop to sign Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.
It is a move which costs United a combined fee of close to £50m, with both being handed prominent squad numbers at four and three respectively.
The arrival of De Ligt in particular has caused much debate with Paul Scholes not impressed with the addition, however contrary to this we think that the move could be a masterstroke by Ineos.
With that in mind, here are five reasons it is an exciting signing by Manchester United.
De Ligt is a massive upgrade
De Ligt is quality and possesses several strengths that lend themselves well to playing for Manchester United, but most importantly he is a huge upgrade on what United are used to.
Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans have all been strong servants for the club however De Ligt instantly overtakes all three and with Leny Yoro injured – the starting duo now looks strong with Lisandro Martinez alongside the latest recruit.
When the centre-back department now is compared with last season, it really is night and day – but United might not be done yet with Jarrad Branthwaite still being targeted according to reports.
Bayern fans did not want the Dutchman to leave
Lots can be learned from the reaction of a selling club’s fans, and in relation to De Ligt the Bayern fans were desperate for him to remain at the club this summer.
The fanbase was so adamant that De Ligt should have been kept that a petition was started to try and convince the club not to sell the talented Dutchman.
The petition ended up receiving over 70,000 signatures which tells the story of how good he is, and also how much of a bargain De Ligt is at £38m up front.
Knows Erik ten Hag’s football already
Given the timing of De Ligt’s arrival and there being just a few days until the Premier League season begins, it is perfect that he already knows and understands Erik ten Hag’s football.
Due to the pair knowing each other well, De Ligt could help Ten Hag implement his footballing philosophy from Ajax at Old Trafford, something we have been hoping to see for two years now.
Adding this into the team which has impressed so far during pre-season and in the Community Shield could set United up for a strong start to the season.
Can be Manchester United’s own Virgil van Dijk
De Ligt’s qualities go beyond just defending and he is actually if anything even more talented on the ball than off it, which means United could have two defenders capable of building out from the back in De Ligt and Martinez.
Interestingly, FBRef has Virgil van Dijk as the most similar player to De Ligt in terms of his scouting report which showcases excellent passing and progression stats.
If he can have half the impact Van Dijk did at Liverpool, then it could end up being an inspired move from the decision-makers.
De Ligt is a leader and a winner
Despite being aged just 25, De Ligt has already lived a career which many would have dreamt of having and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2019 when he was a teenager under Ten Hag’s tutelage.
De Ligt was the Ajax captain as a youngster and several clips of him being a leader show he is an excellent figure to have in any dressing room.
Having played for now four of Europe’s biggest, De Ligt has had a silverware-laden career, winning the league at Ajax, Juventus and also Bayern Munich. He also won cups at each of these clubs.
This kind of mentality in the dressing room is huge and will benefit everyone.
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