It is six years since Matthijs de Ligt became a record breaker against Manchester United, starting the 2018 Europa League final for Ajax at 17 years and 285 days, becoming the youngest player to start in a major European final.
Already De Ligt seemed destined for greatness and little that happened in the next couple of years altered that narrative. He was the youngest Ajax player to reach a century of appearances and in the same year became the youngest full debutant in the Netherlands’ history.
Now, a move to Old Trafford is on the cards with De Ligt a contender to replace Raphael Varane at the heart of United’s defence. An approach to Bayern Munich for the 24-year-old could be made.
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Signing De Ligt is no longer the no-brainer it looked a few years ago, however. In July 2019 he signed for Juventus for €75m, lasting three years in Turin before heading to Bayern Munich for €67m. A further two years on, a move to United would see his value drop further. Questions have been asked since he left Amsterdam.
The history-maker for his country is now peripheral at Euro 2024. Stefan de Vrij has partnered Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven has twice come off the bench in three group games. De Ligt has been an unused substitute throughout the tournament.
This is a player still playing at a good level, but one struggling to fulfil the potential that seemed so obvious five years ago, when he was a 19-year-old being hailed as the heir to Giorgio Chiellini, with a plan to partner the Italian great before inheriting his role as a leader of the defence. Back in 2019 Mourinho discussed the Stockholm final against Ajax and De Ligt.
“We played against De Ligt two years ago and he already seemed like a 26-year-old, much more experienced than he was,” Mourinho said. “Physically he is very strong. Now, two years later, he is genuinely a fantastic football player.”
Ten Hag had no doubts at Ajax, promoting the teenager to the role of captaincy and constantly talking up his talent and his potential.
“I don’t know if De Ligt has shown 60-80 per cent of his potential,” Ten Hag said in 2019, “but we are talking about one of the best defenders in Europe and I have no doubt that he will soon be number one in this position.”
De Ligt’s time in Turin was difficult to judge. He was moved around the defence, played under three different managers in three seasons and started just 23 games alongside Chiellini in three years. He was a regular in the side but every mistake became a talking point and there was a feeling he wasn’t quite ready.
De Ligt felt the pressure of life at Juventus and also suffered from the change of systems through Maurizio Sarri, Andrea Pirlo and Max Allegri. The switch to Munich was supposed to be a turning point, but similar issues have emerged.
Last season he started just 23 of Bayern’s 49 games and was often third-choice behind Dayot Upemacano and Kim Min-Jae, even dropping behind Eric Dier at times after his move from Tottenham in January. It’s why he might be available this summer, just two years after joining Bayern.
He has faced criticism once again in Bavaria and was under pressure soon after his arrival, when the club’s former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said he was “not world class” adding: “I’m even more sceptical about De Ligt. Sure, he’s only 22 years old. But the last three seasons at Juventus were lost time for him.
“He should have been able to develop further after his furious start to his career at Ajax. I think it is very daring to declare him Bayern’s chief of defence. You could have kept Niklas Süle.”
De Ligt never truly won over Thomas Tuchel and although the German has now left Bayern, it seems the Dutchman’s time might be up as well. United need a right-sided centre-back and he could fit the bill, while also being cheaper than Everton’s 21-year-old Jarrad Branthwaite.
It would be a risk, however. United would be banking on Ten Hag getting the best out of De Ligt once again. They want the player on his way to greatness, not the one who has found it harder going in the intense environments of Bayern and Juventus. Life at United isn’t exactly quiet either.
Maybe that reunion with his former Ajax boss will lead to a fresh start, but Ten Hag isn’t exactly out of the woods at United, even if he does sign a new deal. If he gets the central defender he has had such an influence on, then it would be a transfer that he simply has to make work. If De Ligt was at “60 to 80 per cent” of his potential in 2019, then he is certainly no closer to fulfilling it now. Maybe Ten Hag can help him do just that.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
