Bayern Munich slammed for Matthijs de Ligt sale as Lisandro Martínez names three benefits

Bayern Munich has been slammed as Manchester United confirm the signing of Matthijs de Ligt on a five-year contract for an initial £38 million.

Matthijs de Ligt has officially joined Manchester United on a five-year contract, finalizing his £38 million transfer from Bayern Munich to Old Trafford.

The Dutch defender will once again work with Erik ten Hag, who played a pivotal role in his development at Ajax, where De Ligt rose through the ranks to become a first-team regular.

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His arrival bolsters United’s defence at a critical time when the club need strong defensive options. De Ligt will compete for a starting role alongside Lisandro Martínez, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, and possibly Victor Lindelöf, whose future at the club is uncertain.

However, the move has not been without controversy. Prior to the announcement, club fans started a petition to try to force Bayern to keep the Dutch international, showing how much of a fan favourite he is at the Allianz Arena.

Former Germany World Cup-winning midfielder Dietmar Hamann has now weighed in on the situation, slamming Bayern Munich for selling their best defender.

“I wouldn’t have given him up,” he said when asked about the transfer, as relayed by Sport Witness.

“He wasn’t always able to match his performance at Ajax in Turin or Munich, but for me, he was the most stable central defender at Bayern in the last six to eight months.

“He is someone who opens his mouth and makes his players better. I don’t see that with the other central defenders. For me, De Ligt would have been set.”

Further, Lisandro Martínez has also been speaking about De Ligt’s signing, explaining the reasons why he feels the 25-year-old, as well as new signing Noussair Mazraoui, will benefit the squad.

“I’m so excited about Matthijs, about Noussair. We are here to help them, and they are really good players,” Martínez said on Tuesday.

The Argentinian centre-back went on to explain how De Ligt will help the United backline in three specific ways, including the ability to play with a high defensive line.

“That’s why Manchester United bought them,” he added. “And they will show quickly because they have really good qualities, and they like to play football, and they are special for our system.

“I think Matthijs will give us a strong personality, playing from the back, defending high. I can’t wait to play with him.”

De Ligt is anticipated to be available for United’s Premier League season opener against Fulham at Old Trafford later this week.

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