Matthijs de Ligt opted for a switch to Bayern Munich, partly on the advice of national coach Louis van Gaal. The defender signed a five-year contract with the German champions on Tuesday.
“At the beginning of this summer I already discussed my future with Van Gaal,” De Ligt tells the German newspaper picture. “He had nothing but good words for this club. He praised the philosophy of Bayern Munich and said to me: ‘If you go to Bayern, you will love it there’.”
Van Gaal was Bayern Munich manager from 2009 to 2011. With ‘Der Rekordmeister’, the seventy-year-old coach won the national title, the German Cup and the German Super Cup in 2010. Van Gaal also reached the Champions League final with Bayern that year, but Internazionale (0-2) was too strong.
22-year-old De Ligt, who is reportedly coming over from Juventus for 70 million euros, is looking forward to working with Julian Nagelsmann. “He is a coach who has proven that young players can develop under him. I still see myself as a young player who wants to improve.”
“I am very happy to become a player at this big club,” says De Ligt on the website from Bavaria. “Bayern is the most successful club in Germany and one of the most successful clubs in Europe and in the world. I felt genuine appreciation from the start. That convinced me. In addition, Bayern is an excellently managed club with big goals.”
Bayern left for Washington on Monday for a training camp. De Ligt also boarded a plane to the United States on Tuesday afternoon, to join his new teammates there. A friendly game against DC United is scheduled for Wednesday.
Louis van Gaal won the league title with Bayern Munich in 2010.
Louis van Gaal won the league title with Bayern Munich in 2010. Photo: Getty Images