€60m Man Utd mistake: Ten Hag signed the wrong defender

Tom Weber

Updated: 1 Oct 2024 12:18 CDT
4 min read

Manchester United may have made a mistake by signing Matthijs de Ligt over Gleison Bremer.

Article continues under the video

The Red Devils and manager Erik ten Hag in particular were absolutely delighted that they managed to land the Dutchman in the summer, paying just €45 million upfront for the Bayern Munich outcast, with the deal potentially rising to €50m.

De Ligt was desperate for the move, too, even agreeing to take a pay cut to get it over the line. His start to life at Old Trafford was promising, but he has now come under heavy fire after his performance against Tottenham at the weekend.

With Spurs leaving Manchester with a comfortable 3-0, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher absolutely tore into De Ligt. “In every situation there in that first half, two massive chances and the goal, De Ligt, a player they brought in for huge money, he’s completely out of position all the time so he ends up having to go flying into challenges,” Carragher thundered.

There is no denying that Man Utd have improved defensively compared to last season, when they conceded an unprecedented number of shots, but De Ligt may not have been the right signing for their system.

Bremer starring for Juventus

It is easy to forget that De Ligt was not Man Utd's only option on the transfer market. For just €10m more, the Red Devils could have signed Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer instead.

The player had a €60m release clause for 2025 but there was a gentleman's agreement that he would be allowed to leave the club in 2024 for that same fee.

Man Utd, despite being heavily linked, did not make a move and he ended up penning a new deal, his price increasing significantly in the process.

Bremer, already one of Serie A's best defenders prior to this season, has only increased his already sparkling reputation under Thiago Motta so far. Juventus boast arguably Europe's meanest defence, having yet to concede a goal in Serie A.

The Bianconeri have kept six clean sheets in league play and Bremer has been the linchpin of Motta's surprisingly stout backline. A defence is obviously not just one player, but the 27-year-old has been brilliant.

He also would likely have suited Ten Hag's style more. Much more athletic compared to De Ligt, whom Bayern director Max Eberl described as 'slow,' Bremer is more capable of covering ground which is an ability defenders in the Dutchman's system need given that there will invariably be space for the opponent to attack.

Bremer would not have been the solution to all of Man Utd's problems, but he may not have been as exposed as often as Ten Hag's former Ajax protégé.