Throughout the most recent Premier League campaign, Manchester United’s biggest issue was the lack of reliability of their centre-backs.
First-choice centre-back Lisandro Martinez was missing for most of the campaign through injury, and they really missed a Virgil Van Dijk-esque defender.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is desperate to bolster the backline this summer, and therefore, signing a new centre-half will be the biggest priority at Old Trafford.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a United target who could just become their very own version of Liverpool’s captain.
Man Utd's search for a centre-back
This week, reports in Germany via journalist Florian Plettenberg have given the latest update on Man Utd’s interest in Matthijs de Ligt.
It’s mentioned that the Dutch ace is still a transfer target for United this summer, alongside Jarrad Branthwaite and Leny Yoro.
Plettenberg says that "Ten Hag is still a great admirer of De Ligt", who will be sold this summer by Bayern Munich if a reasonable sum arrives.
It’s said that despite not making an offer yet, United currently value the centre back at around £42m this summer, with Plettenberg providing a further update that the deal is becoming "more and more concrete".
Why De Ligt would be United’s own Van Dijk
Back in the 2018/19 season, De Ligt was viewed as the most promising centre-half in the world by many, having led Ten Hag’s Ajax to the Champions League semi-final.
At just 19 years old, the defender captained Ajax to the league title and domestic cup, but since then, he’s not exactly lived up to the expectations that he once had.
The “generational” talent, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, is currently playing his football in Germany for Bayern Munich after joining in 2022.
His second season at the club saw him start just 16 times in the Bundesliga, with Thomas Tuchel opting for other options more often than not, but his statistics don’t match those of someone who’s built for being a rotation option.
Touches
92.23
81.72
Passes completed
75.50
67.81
Pass accuracy
91.3%
93.1%
Progressive passes
5.59
5.57
Tackles
1.10
1.11
Aerials won
4.00
2.47
As you can see from the table above, it’s no surprise that De Ligt is classified as the most ‘similar player’ to Van Dijk across the top European leagues by FBref.
Firstly, what separates the two Netherlands defenders from the rest is their brilliance in possession, boasting immense composure, retention, and technical quality.
This is shown by their pass accuracy, touches, and passes completed, while their progression stats prove that their passing range and vision are absolutely sublime.
From a defensive perspective, De Ligt and Van Dijk are both extremely dynamic and physical, often dominating every attacker they play against, regardless of whether they’ve got pace or strength.
On top of that, they are just as dominant in the air, often towering above opponents, which gives them a huge advantage in both penalty boxes.
However, it’s not just FBref that notices the Dutch duo’s similarities, with Manchester City’s Nathan Ake also mentioning that their athleticism, aerial dominance, and technical ability are alike – noting that De Ligt has "got a lot of the same attributes as Van Dijk".
Overall, signing a player of De Ligt’s quality could seriously elevate United’s performance levels, and he’s the type of defender who could ensure years of dominance.
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