Matthijs de Ligt is having a difficult season at FC Bayern. The central defender has recently been linked with a move to Manchester United. A former Red Devils professional warns.
According to Sky, Manchester United are interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt. Team manager Erik ten Hag knows the 24-year-old from their time together at Ajax Amsterdam. Afterwards, the paths between coach and player parted ways.
Ten Hag has been coaching the English record champions since 2022. De Ligt moved from Juventus Turin to FC Bayern in the same year.
Ex-professional Andy Cole expressed doubts to “Betfred” as to whether buying the defender would make sense from Manchester United’s perspective. The 15-time international England player cited the “difficult times” that de Ligt experienced at both Juventus and FC Bayern as the reason. “Then how can you say he will succeed at Manchester United?” asked Cole.
“Matthijs is another player who played for Erik ten Hag and most of the signings Erik made during his time at the club were players he previously managed,” the ex-Manchester United player added.
FC Bayern: Is de Ligt’s hour now coming?
De Ligt still has a contract with FC Bayern until 2027. The Dutchman mostly had to line up behind Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim in the first half of the season.
“Matthijs came home injured from the national team and missed almost all of the preparation. We then used him a little too early in the Supercup, then Minjae and Upa were stuck, then he was seriously injured again,” said Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel, describing the injury misery as the main reason for this.
Since Kim is currently with the South Korean national team at the Asian Championship and Upamecano is threatened with a forced break, de Ligt’s hour could now come at FC Bayern.