Defending is almost seen as a dirty word in Dutch football.
This is not at all surprising as the underlying coaching philosophy is attack-oriented and when it comes to central defenders they are expected to combine the art of defending with playmaking. A contemporary example, who continues to make glowing headlines, is Ajax’s teenage captain Matthijs de Ligt.
Matthijs de Ligt is going to be a serious player
The 19-year-old smothered the Bayer Munich attack last night…
This tackle in the 88th minute summed up the Dutchman's night. pic.twitter.com/bOEnJuET2m
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 3, 2018
His first Champions League group phase appearance in Munich against Bayern, which saw him pass the stern examination posed by Robert Lewandowski, was appearance number 75 for the Amsterdam giants. Still a teen – he doesn’t turn 20 for another 10 months – it’s undeniable that De Ligt is a player wise beyond his years.
With seemingly unlimited potential, there is a risk of getting carried away, but it is hard not to when De Ligt, who earned his first Netherlands call-up aged 17, has all the hallmarks of a potential great; think Jaap Stam, who, it is fair to say, was the last truly universally celebrated Dutch centre-back.
Virgil van Dijk, with whom De Ligt has forged a solid defensive partnership for the Oranje, is currently the flavour of the month – and rightfully so, following a number of exceptional performances for Liverpool and the national team. But it can be argued that his talent ceiling is lower than that of Matthijs.
Matthijs de Ligt is the youngest player in Champions League & Europa League history to play in a final. pic.twitter.com/HUhYZLlesz
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 21, 2017
It is very likely this will be De Ligt’s final season with Ajax and though it remains to be seen where the next chapter is written, we have drawn up a list of four potential destinations; a dream option, a realistic choice, a wildcard move and a club Squawka recommends that is best suited for him.
Dream: Barcelona
De Ligt came through Ajax’s esteemed youth academy, so Barcelona, who share a same footballing vision, is seen by many observers as the ideal destination and those running the Camp Nou club reportedly agree. He has even said publicly that Barcelona are his favourites club in Spain.
The only question is whether he is ready to make the jump. There is no question the level at La Liga’s reigning champions (in terms of pressure and domestic opposition) is a step up from what De Ligt will have become accustomed to in the Eredivisie.
Is De Ligt Pique’s perfect heir?
That being said, the adage ‘age is nothing but a number’ applies to him. Barça, if they are not already, should be thinking about life without Gerard Piqué, and given De Ligt is cut from the same cloth, his acquisition appears to be a no-brainer.
Given his education, and as long as the Catalan powerhouse remain faithful to Johan Cruyff’s teachings, De Ligt’s assimilation will be as smooth as his exemplary passing.
Realistic: Bayern Munich
Bayern saw firsthand what De Ligt is potentially capable of and that should give the powers that be some pause.
Jérôme Boateng was close to leaving the record German champions in the summer, but for one reason or another he remained, but his time could be running out.
De Ligt was key to Ajax’s 1-1 Champions League draw against Bayern Munich.
There are no shortage of internal replacements, notably 23-year-old Niklas Süle, while Mats Hummels, at 29, is not quite over the hill yet. De Ligt, though, represents a long-term investment and could immediately settle alongside the aforementioned Hummels.
His ability to resolve situations through good positional sense will no doubt compliment the former Borussia Dortmund man while Bayern, though an incredible step up, is less daunting than Barça.
Wildcard: Manchester United
You can never rule out a big-money move to England as the Premier League remains a lucrative destination for so many footballers.
A number of De Ligt’s compatriots already ply their trade in Europe’s most-watched top division and there is no question he has been, or is being, scouted by the league’s top six clubs.
Is De Ligt the perfect defensive partner for a Mourinho-less Man Utd?
Spurs, who currently employ three former Ajax academy graduates (Toby Alderweireld, Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen) and signed his former centre-back partner Dávinson Sánchez just over a year ago, have long been touted. But what about Manchester United?
Yes, they are not short on central defenders, but – with all due respect – De Ligt would be an improvement upon all of them. A partnership with Eric Bailly, for example, could prove to be successful. But there is one caveat, and that is that the move would only be a success if Jose Mourinho is no longer in charge. The once-great Portuguese tactician’s current brand of football would only stifle his ball-playing abilities.
Squawka Suggests: Juventus
Is there a better European league for central defenders than Serie A? It might be an old and tired stereotype, but no one loves defending more than the Italians and Juve currently possess some of the best.
But as great as Andrea Barzagli (37), Leonardo Bonucci (31) and Giorgio Chiellini (34) are, they cannot play forever. Father time, after all, is and always will be undefeated.
De Ligt could learn from world-class centre-backs Bonucci and Chiellini at Juventus.
Juve have long been lauded for their recruitment. De Ligt, who can learn so much from Bonucci and Chiellini (who have at least another 3-5 seasons in them), will not be cheap, but he will undoubtedly be worth it.
As of now, his playing style is very much centred around a buccaneering approach; moving to Italy means a chance to work under a manager certain to improve the tactical side of his game and that will only further accelerate him reaching world-class status.
The post Where should Matthijs de Ligt go if he leaves Ajax? Dream, realistic, wildcard and Squawka suggests options appeared first on Squawka News.
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