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INCREDIBLE Matthijs de Ligt record should excite Man Utd fans
New Manchester United signing Matthijs De Ligt joins the Premier League giants while carrying an incredible stat streak.
De Ligt became the latest signing for Manchester United when he joined in a deal worth approximately €45m with an additional €5m in bonuses.
The giant Dutch defender will wear the no. 4, most recently worn by Sofyan Amrabat but more infamously adorning the backs of the likes of Phil Jones, Owen Hargreaves and Juan Sebastian Veron.
Unlike those unfortunate souls, United fans will be expecting the very best performances from De Ligt. Not just because of his excellent pedigree as a graduate of the Ajax academy and a winner of titles in the Netherlands, in Italy with Juventus and Germany with Bayern Munich.
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The other reason United fans will be so hopeful that De Ligt can bring the defensive stability and leadership they've lacked ever since Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic left the club a decade ago, is that he joins the club with an incredible statistical streak on the run.
De Ligt's Flawless Defending?
Matthijs de Ligt has not made a single error leading to an opponent's shot in league football since he was a teenager.
Matthijs de Ligt has not made a single error leading to an opponent's shot in league football since he was a teenager. He's 25.
The best Dutch CB in the Premier League. 👀 pic.twitter.com/lhZTOmerR7— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 12, 2024
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Considering De Ligt is currently 25 years-old, that means he's had five years - half a decade! - of top level football for three teams in three different countries without making a mistake so big that an opponent could capitalise on it.
For a team as shaky at the back as Manchester United, that will be most welcome news as Erik ten Hag looks to rebuild the Red Devils into a competitive team that can do more than just win domestic cups.
United haven't won the Premier League in 11 years with their last triumph being Sir Alex Ferguson's final season in 2012/13, and they haven't won the Champions League since 2007/08.
There's a long way to go before United can reach that level again, but adding a defensive colossus like De Ligt, as well as other new signings such as Noussair Mazraoui, will help them get there sooner rather than later.