Since his emergence to the scene as a teenager at Ajax, Matthijs de Ligt attracted the interest of almost every major European side. However, Juventus were arguably at the peak of their financial power in 2019, and former sporting director, Fabio Paratici, acted swiftly to seal a deal for the youngster.
Although it wasn’t always easy for the 22-year-old, but he’s surely growing from strength to strength, and he’s expected to become one of the best defenders in the world if not the very best.
The Dutchman was heavily criticized in his home country following his red card against the Czech Republic which culminated in his national team’s elimination from Euro 2020.
However, his compatriot Ruud Gullit believes that the young defender is doing well, although he still has a lot to lean from his Juventus teammates, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini.
“He’s at the best school for defenders, because Bonucci and Chiellini are currently the best around,” Gullit told Sky Sports as translated by Football Italia. “He’s growing very well with them.
“De Ligt is young and grew up with another concept of defense, following the idea that the set-up was the most important aspect of the game.
“He’s doing well, but at times he’s a bit instinctive. He has to stay calm and anticipate, just like Bonucci and Chiellini do. He still has a lot to learn from them,” concluded the Milan legend, who once formed the famous Dutch Trio alongside Frank Rijkaard and Marco Van Basten.
More must-reads: