Matthijs de Ligt is one of the brightest stars of Ajax Amsterdam's 2019 generation, along with a series of other young talents at that time, such as Frenkie de Jong or Donny van de Beek. However, since then, all three stars have only remained at the level of potential, not really breaking through to become big stars. There are people who have a stable future like De Jong, but there are also people who have to wander and lose their peak like Van de Beek.
After leaving Ajax, De Ligt played for many top European clubs such as Juventus and then Bayern Munich. The total transfer value of the Dutch star after those two deals was 162.5 million Euros, before moving to Man United for 45 million Euros. Erik ten Hag was reunited with his former student in Ajax's successful generation in 2019 and his task now is to develop the huge potential of this 25-year-old midfielder.
In an interview last year, De Ligt said Ten Hag was the teacher who most influenced the development of his playing style. After not having the expected success with Juventus, De Ligt went to Bayern and reunited with Ten Hag. At that time, the Dutch strategist led team B of the "Gray Tigers". This time, the two teachers and students met again as expected. Man United fans are hoping this pair can develop like what they had 5 years ago.
At Old Trafford, De Ligt can be assured of his starting position alongside Lisandro Martinez. Previously in Bayern's squad under Thomas Tuchel, he had to sit on the bench a lot. Many times in front of the media, Tuchel praised his student, but in the end, the German strategist chose the couple Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae. Since Eric Dier followed Harry Kane to the Allianz Arena, De Ligt has sometimes been only the fourth choice for the central defender position of the "Gray Tigers".
After that, EURO 2024 was also an unforgettable time for De Ligt when he sat on the bench for the entire Dutch team's campaign. This midfielder was not even allowed on the field for a single minute. Therefore, leaving Bayern and going to Man United is considered a career-saving move for the 25-year-old star.
One of the biggest obstacles for the former Bayern midfielder is injury. In the past 2 years, De Ligt has been injured quite frequently. Although there was never a time that was too severe, not being able to play regularly has caused this midfielder to gradually lose his physical condition and performance.
Therefore, when arriving at Old Trafford, the first thing Ten Hag needs to do for his student is improve his physical strength. Having spent a summer without being exhausted, De Ligt has the opportunity to achieve that easier than his teammates. At Man United, the competition for all positions is fair, this has been proven by Ten Hag over the past 2 years. Therefore, as long as he does well, De Ligt will have a starting spot, without having to worry too much about behind-the-scenes stories like at Bayern recently.
This is also the time the 25-year-old star needs to take advantage of because in the near future, the number of personnel for the central defender position at Man United will be very thick. The "Red Devils" purchase of Leny Yoro from Lille, in addition to increasing the depth of personnel, the team also wants to create competition with each other. De Ligt certainly does not want to be a victim of this story.
