Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has questioned the decision to pay €50m (£43m) for Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt.
The Dutchman started 16 league games last season, with Eric Dier having played ahead of him on occasion, and Scholes says he doesn’t believe de Ligt has what it takes to be a regular starter for the Red Devils:
“[De Ligt] from Bayern Munich… he’s not played for them. That’s a big concern for me, especially when Eric Dier’s playing in front of him. I’m not joking; that is a massive concern for me. You’re bringing in players for £40 million, £50 million, okay, just because he’s played for them three or four years ago…”
“Juventus got rid of him; he wasn’t good enough at Juventus, he obviously hasn’t been good enough for Bayern Munich. He’s coming to us almost like a second-rate defender now. He might be [a good signing], don’t get me wrong. [His relationship with Erik ten Hag from Ajax] is a big boost, and he’s Dutch.”
Scholes’s verdict is harsh
It should be pointed out that one of the reasons that de Ligt didn’t start that many games last campaign was due to injury. He picked up a knock and two separate knee problems.
However, Scholes is right to point out that manager Thomas Tuchel didn’t always favour him. It was five games into the season before he was named in the starting lineup.
Ten Hag could get the best out of de Ligt at United
It is fair to say that the 25-year-old hasn’t quite lived up to his early promise. Despite winning titles at Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich, he hasn’t developed into a world-class centre-back. It was telling that he didn’t make the starting eleven for the Netherlands at the European Championships.
Even so, with de Ligt soon to be under the wing of his first manager again, Erik ten Hag, there is nothing stopping him from kicking on and excelling in the second half of his career.
