Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has issued a warning to his club’s pursuit of Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.
United in Focus, which covers United news, reported on Monday (Aug. 8) that “Scholes has ‘huge concerns’ about the player who has been linked with a move to United. The news that United are close to signing De Ligt will excite many fans, but Scholes has expressed huge doubts about the deal.”
According to the outlet, Scholes rated Der Licht as “second-rate” and said United should stop trying to sign him. “United are talking about bringing in a player who can’t fit into the team,” Scholes said, adding, “Der Licht hasn’t played for Munich and that’s a big concern for me. Especially when Eric Dier is playing in front of him,” he said.
“I’m not kidding, that’s a big concern for me. “Der Licht is bringing him in for £40-50 million (about $69.8 billion to $87.3 billion) just because he played for Eric Dier three or four years ago,” he said, adding, “Juventus kicked him out. Der Licht wasn’t good enough for Juventus. Obviously, he wasn’t good enough for Munich either. He’s coming to us now as a second-class defender,” he said, claiming that Der Licht was not good enough for both Juventus and Munich after leaving Ajax.
The Dutch center back was already a talent to watch at an early age, having played for his country’s top club, Ajax. At 6-foot-4, he was praised for his ability to compete for aerial balls and his build-up play.
As a youngster, he played a key role in Ajax’s UEFA Champions League quarterfinal run in the 2018-19 season, turning him into a highly sought-after prospect across Europe, where he was coached by Ten Haag.
Der Licht then moved to Italian giants Juventus, where he spent three seasons as the club’s first-choice center back, although injuries and poor performances plagued his time there. In his final season, the 2021-2022 campaign, he was considered to have regained his form from his time at Ajax.
In the summer of 2022, he left Juventus to join Munich. In his first season with the club, he was a regular starter in 31 league games and played a key role in helping Munich win the Bundesliga title.
Heading into last season, there were high hopes for his partnership with Kim Min-Jae following the latter’s arrival, but a series of niggling injuries meant he was pushed behind Kim and Dayo Upamecano and missed most of the first half of the season.
In the second half of the season, he started at center back alongside Eric Dier. Instead, Kim Min-Jae dropped to the bench. With Dyer and his steady defense, there was a lot of speculation that Der Licht would be in the starting lineup next season.
However, he has lost his place since the arrival of Vincent Kompany and is now labeled as a free agent by Munich. Der Licht have been linked with a move for Eunsa ten Haag. United’s 메이저사이트 arrival of Lenny Llorente reduced the likelihood of a move, but Llorente’s three-month injury just three days after joining the club has reopened the door.
As United in Focus notes, “United’s big-name signings in recent years haven’t always gone according to plan. In fact, it’s hard to name a player who has lived up to expectations after arriving at Old Trafford for a big fee. “Since Sir Alex Ferguson, the likes of Angel Di Maria, Alexis Sanchez and Donny Vanderbeek have failed to live up to expectations. Even under Van Gaal, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Harry Maguire have failed to justify their huge transfer fees.”
“Since INEOS took over the club, the focus has shifted from big-name signings to young, high-potential talent. The arrivals of Joshua Giroud and Lenny Llorente this summer reflect a new transfer philosophy, but we need someone with experience to work with them, and that’s where Diricht comes in,” he said, explaining why United are targeting him.
It’s a signing many have been waiting for, but not Legend Scholes. He argued against the move, saying that the Dutchman hasn’t been in good form in the last three or four years.
However, according to the Manchester Evening News, “If United were Premier League champions, the signing of De Ligt might not be considered good enough. But United finished eighth in the league last season. You have to be realistic about your targets,” and concluded that at their current level, De Ligt would be a good signing.