Matthijs De Ligt’s shock departure from Bayern Munich may have a lot to do with the amount of time the defender spent in the gym.
Bayern Munich sold center-back Matthijs De Ligt to Manchester United earlier in the summer transfer window for a reported fixed fee of €45 million. Having already played for big clubs like Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern, the 25-year-old added the Premier League record champions to his illustrious CV. The defender, however, hasn’t hit the ground running at his new club as Manchester United sit 14th on the table after having registered their worst start to a Premier League season in 35 years.
There were many speculations about why Bayern decided to sell one of their best defenders in De Ligt, who was also recognized as a fan favorite. The recent report from Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel sheds light on what could be the biggest possible reason why the Dutch international was not in the plans of new Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.
Dutchman spends too much time in the gym
De Ligt reportedly spent way too much time working out in the gym and it had become a matter of concern at FC Bayern. It is believed that this was a big reason behind the defender’s declining agility on the football field.
A source revealed, “There was a feeling at Bayern that between De Ligt leaving Ajax for Juventus and then arriving at Bayern he lost his flexibility and speed because he spent too much time in the gym.” The report also states that Manchester United bosses, including manager Erik Ten Hag, were aware of this situation before they signed the Dutchman.
Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton also raised concerns regarding the mobility of the new Man United signing on the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast. “He’s been in the gym too much. I mean, most people need to get in the gym. But when he was at Ajax and making his way and he came to the fore, not only was he strong, but he was agile, he was mobile.”
“He just looks clunky, doesn’t he?” Sutton added.
De Ligt was not an ideal fit for Kompany’s high line football
A high level of mobility is a crucial precondition to play in a high-line system as the one with Kompany, and De Ligt, who is a different profile of defender, wouldn’t have been an ideal fit. Hence it can be assumed that the coach didn’t fancy the Dutchman as a key player in his plans for the upcoming season.
Even under previous coach Thomas Tuchel, the defender wasn’t always the clear favorite to start. The German coach was not an admirer of his style of play.
Rough start for De Ligt with the Red Devils
It has barely been two months since the season began and De Ligt is already under scrutiny by Manchester United fans and pundits. The defender has looked far from his best and the club’s overall poor form isn’t helping him either. The Red Devils have a measly five points so far in the Premier League season and have conceded eight goals in seven games.
Matthijs De Ligt’s most recent start was in the Europa League away clash against FC Porto which ended in a 3-3 draw. As the scoreline suggests, the defender did not have a good time dealing with Porto’s attack and his lack of pace and agility was once again noticeable.