Five reasons why Matthijs de Ligt is prefect for Bayern Munich

The German champions are leading the race to sign the Dutch defender.

Matthijs de Ligt broke through on the European scene a few seasons ago in Ajax's impressive run to the Champions League semi-final. The Dutch defender captained the Ajax side during the impressive run. Top European clubs were lining up for his signature, but de Ligt joined Juventus in the summer of 2019 for €75m. At the time, the switch looked like a very smart move for all parties involved.

But things have not quite worked out for Juventus and Matthijs de Ligt. The 22-year-old has struggled to find his feet and perform consistently at the top level for a sustained period of time. While Juventus have also fallen off in the past few seasons and went trophyless last season. If rumours are to be believed, the Dutch centre-half is looking for a move away from the Allianz Stadium this summer.

Bayern Munich and Chelsea have shown keen interest in the centre-half. But de Ligt prefers a move to the German giants rather than the Blues. Juventus on the other hand have identified Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly as the successor to the Dutch defender.

Here we are focusing on Bayern Munich and Matthijs de Ligt. Here are five reasons why the 22-year-old is the perfect defensive option for the Bundesliga giants:

5. Ability to feature in a high-line

During his time with Ajax, he was coached by the new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. Ex Ajax manager's team were set up with a very high line and really pressing the opponents into making mistakes. During his time in Itlay, he has played under different managers. But Juventus have managed a fairly high line over the last couple of seasons. Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann plays with a very aggressive high line and de Ligt would be a very good fit.

4. Winning mentality

de Ligt captained his side to a League and Cup double in the 2018-19 season. During his first season with Juventus, he lifted the Serie A titles. During the 2020-21 season, Juventus lifted the Italian Cup and the Italian Super Cup. Bayern have won the Bundesliga for 10 seasons running now, de Ligt would be a good addition to the club to keep the winning streak going for the future.

3. Experience at the top level

Despite being just 22, Matthijs de Ligt has already made 29 appearances in the Champions League. He has also featured 9 times in the UEFA Europa League for Ajax. He also has earned 38 caps for his national team. The Dutch defender has also racked up a good amount of appearances in the Serie A and the Eredivisie.

2. Leadership qualities

Matthijs de Ligt still holds the record for being the youngest Ajax club captain. Following an injury to club captain Joel Veltman and the sale of Davinson Sánchez to Tottenham Hotspur, de Ligt was handed the captain's armband at the age of 18. He also holds the record for being the youngest player ever to start a European final when he started against Manchester United in the 2017 Europa League final (17 years and 285 days old).

1. Longevity

Despite it looking like the Juventus centre-half has been around for ages. But the ex-Ajax captain is still just 22 years old and has a very long career ahead of him. If Bayern manage to sign the young defender, he could be at the heart of their defence for years and years to come.

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