If De Ligt were to be signed, he would most likely take over from Raphael Varane as the partner for Lisandro Martinez in the central defense. De Ligt’s strength in the air would complement Martinez’s tenacity, making them a formidable duo at the back. Despite being slightly shorter than Varane, De Ligt won 2.46 aerial duels per 90 minutes in the 2023-24 season, compared to the Frenchman’s 1.68 (as per FBref.com).
On the other hand, Martinez has only won 1.11 aerial duels per 90 minutes since joining Manchester United. This suggests that De Ligt could significantly improve the team’s ability to defend and win aerial battles at the back. Furthermore, De Ligt is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has impressive pass accuracy of 93.1%, which is higher than any player at Old Trafford and even topped the Bayern Munich squad last season.
Having captained Ajax at the age of 19, De Ligt has already shown his leadership capabilities. He would be a natural fit in the heart of the defense, providing stability and guidance to a United backline that was under immense pressure last season. With his aerial prowess, passing accuracy, and leadership qualities, De Ligt could be the missing piece that United need to shore up their defense and improve their overall performance on the field.
In addition to these skills, De Ligt also brings experience to Manchester United’s backline as he has played in multiple international tournaments with Netherlands national team including Euro Cup Final and World Cup Final where they reached quarter finals respectively.
Overall signing De Ligt would bring significant improvements to Manchester United’s defense and give them more options in terms of playing style as he can play both defensively soundly as well as playing out from the back with high pass accuracy.