Manchester United Targets Matthijs de Ligt for Aerial Dominance and Passing Precision in the Backline”.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt, who could 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.

In addition to his aerial prowess, De Ligt is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has impressive passing accuracy of 93.1% last season. This was higher than any player at Old Trafford and even topped the Bayern Munich squad. Martinez was close behind with a pass accuracy of 92.7%, but no other United defender managed more than a 90% pass accuracy last season. This suggests that De Ligt could significantly improve the team’s ability to play out from the back and take some pressure off their midfielders and attackers.

Having captained Ajax at just 19 years old, De Ligt has already shown his leadership capabilities and would be a natural fit in the heart of Manchester United’s defense, providing stability and guidance to an under-pressure backline that struggled last season. With his aerial strength, passing accuracy, and leadership qualities, De Ligt could be just what Manchester United need to shore up their defense and improve their overall performance on the pitch.