The summer of transfers continues to pick up speed: According to media reports, a move from Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt to FC Bayern is almost certain. The 22-year-old wants to become the German record champion and Bayern need a top central defender. So the perfect match?
He is considered a born leader: Matthijs de Ligt was already captain of Ajax Amsterdam in the 2018/19 season at the age of 19 in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Top European clubs fought for the central defender – including FC Bayern Munich. But the Dutchman switched to Juventus Turin.
At the Old Lady, the 22-year-old learned from the best and directed the Juve defense alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Most recently, the Italians wanted to extend de Ligt beyond 2024, but due to the financial problems on weakened terms, to the displeasure of the defender.
After two disappointing fourth places in Serie A, one of Europe’s greatest central defenders is now looking for a new challenge and wants to join FC Bayern, who have always kept in touch with the Dutchman. According to information from “Sport1”, the central defender has now given the Munich team his “firm verbal commitment” for a change.
Does FC Bayern finance de Ligt with a barter transaction?
The crux of the supposedly perfect match could be the fee: De Ligt has a market value of 70 million euros, and his contract should contain an exit clause of 120 million euros. You could meet somewhere in the middle. Nevertheless, a considerable sum remains for Bayern, who have already put a total package of 40 million on the table for Sadio Mané this summer.
Another possibility would be to settle the transfer fee in an exchange transaction: Juventus understandably don’t want to let de Ligt go for nothing – especially since Chiellini, one of the key players, said goodbye to the old lady.
According to media reports, the exchange object could be called Benjamin Pavard. He actually wanted to play a bigger role in Bayern’s central defense in the future. Should de Ligt actually switch to Munich, that would be almost impossible. At Juventus, the Frenchman would have every opportunity, at least on paper.
Does de Ligt have the right quality for FC Bayern?
For sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, who played for both Bayern and Juventus in his active career, there are still a few variables to be clarified in the next few days or weeks. A move from Robert Lewandowski to FC Barcelona, for example, would of course open up completely different financial opportunities.
If you look at Matthijs de Ligt’s recent past in the Juve jersey, the question arises: is the quality of the 22-year-old already so great that he would become the new chief of defense in Munich per se? The Juve defense hasn’t been the invincible fortress of the past for a number of years, and one of the greatest talented central defenders in Europe hasn’t changed that.
To his credit, though, de Ligt joined a team in turmoil, playing under three coaches with different aspirations in three seasons.
De Ligt: “The dirty work is so important”
The fact is and remains: De Ligt has everything a modern central defender should have. The 22-year-old has a high basic speed, a strong technique and the certain duel toughness that is needed. He describes himself as an “old-school defender” and explained this to the English “Guardian” in the spring: “The dirty work is so important. People call it dirty, but I think it’s really nice: beating the ball away, winning duels .”
And de Ligt did this very successfully on the big stage: in 18 Champions League games in a Juve jersey, the Dutchman won around 67 percent of his duels, committed only 15 fouls and impressed with a pass rate of almost 90 percent. For comparison: In the last CL season, Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano won 56 percent of duels, the outgoing Niklas Süle even won only 47 percent of the duels man against man.
De Ligt’s great strength is also his overview of the game structure and his tactical understanding – that’s why Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann really wants the Dutchman.
Reunion with Gravenberch and Mazraoui
At Bayern, de Ligt would have the opportunity to play the dominant football again, which he loves and knew from Ajax Amsterdam. Juventus only had 52 percent possession of the ball in the last Serie A season, ninth in the league.
What de Ligt will also have observed with interest is that Bayern have signed two former Ajax pros in Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui. Incidentally, like de Ligt, both are under contract with the agency “One”, the player consultancy for the recently deceased Mino Raiola.
A special event connects Matthijs de Ligt with the Allianz Arena in Munich. On October 2, 2018, he played his first Champions League game here with Ajax in a 1-1 draw – as captain, of course.
Lars Wiedemann