Matthijs de Ligt explains why he joined Man Utd
- Manchester United signed Matthijs de Ligt during summer transfer window
- Defender left Bayern Munich after two seasons in Germany
- Netherlands international elaborates on decision to move to Old Trafford
By Sean Walsh
Matthijs de Ligt has refuted suggestions that he only joined Manchester United to reunite with manager Erik ten Hag.
The defender completed a move to the Red Devils during the summer transfer window, leaving Bayern Munich after a two-year spell to head to England. Right-back Noussair Mazraoui also swapped the Allianz Arena for Old Trafford last month.
De Ligt, and Mazraoui for that matter, both played under Ten Hag at Ajax and were part of the side that came to within seconds of reaching the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League final against all odds.
Since taking charge of United in 2022, Ten Hag has faced criticism for a perceived reliance on signing his former Ajax players.
However, De Ligt has insisted he was attracted to the prospect of joining 'one of the biggest clubs in the world' and not just the familiarity of his manager.
"I am settled in Manchester, I enjoy myself," he told Vandaag Inside. "The boys are great, everything is handled perfectly. There's many Dutch guys also in the staff.
"Erik ten Hag is not the only reason I joined Manchester United. We are talking about Manchester United here, maybe one of the biggest clubs in the world. There is a lot of pressure because the fans are used to things from the past. It's up to us to become as good as possible."
United have made a poor start to the 2024/25 season, taking only three points from their opening three Premier League fixtures.
Though they started with a late 1-0 win against Fulham, they have since fallen to a last-minute goal in a 2-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion and been thrashed 3-0 at home by rivals Liverpool.
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