One of Manchester United’s players has now cemented himself within Rúben Amorim’s plans at the club despite a “massive concern” that surrounded his initial signing.
Rúben Amorim’s first few months as Manchester United manager have been more inconsistent than expected, delivering impressive victories against Arsenal and Manchester City while also overseeing some dismal performances.
Taking charge with the team languishing in 14th place in the Premier League, Amorim has yet to lift them higher in the table. United have also been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
However, they remain the only team unbeaten across both the Europa League and Champions League, fueling hopes that winning the former could secure their return to Europe’s elite competition.
With the club facing severe financial struggles, Champions League qualification via Europa League success would provide a crucial financial boost, enabling a much-needed squad overhaul in the summer.
One star has worked his way into Amorim’s plans
With Amorim’s tenure so far being a very unstable time for the club, many of the players has suffered the same fate as their head coach – poor performances have left some questioning their places in the team.
When it was announced that Amorim would take over from Erik ten Hag, many cited big worries for the defensive department, with the squad switching from a back four to a back three.
Matthijs de Ligt was initially pinpointed as a player who may suffer from the system switch, but in the last month, he has garnered significant praise for his performances.
The Netherlands international has played across all three places in the back line, playing as the middle centre-back, on the right, and on the left, with the latter two positions coming primarily due to covering for injuries elsewhere.
Despite the initial worries, De Ligt has shown both Amorim and United fans that he can be a firm favourite under Amorim, with both his on-field performances and leadership skills off the pitch a huge positive in 2025 so far.
De Ligt has waved away “massive” summer concerns
When United announced the signing of De Ligt from Bayern Munich for around £35 million, this was met with criticism as some fans and former players felt the Dutchman had not produced significant enough performances at Juventus and Bayern to warrant a move to United.
One of these was former United midfeilder Paul Scholes, who admitted in August he had “massive concerns” about the signing of De Ligt.
“You know what? Manchester United are talking about bringing players in who won’t get in their team,” Scholes said.
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“[De Ligt] from Bayern Munich… he’s not played for them. That’s a big concern for me, especially when Eric Dier’s playing in front of him. I’m not joking; that is a massive concern for me.
“You’re bringing in players for £40 million, £50 million, okay, just because he’s played for them three or four years ago… Juventus got rid of him; he wasn’t good enough at Juventus, he obviously hasn’t been good enough for Bayern Munich. He’s coming to us almost like a second-rate defender now.”
De Ligt’s opening six months at Old Trafford, and particularly since the turn of the year, has proven that he is far from a “second-rate defender,” and he is expected to be an integral part of Amorim’s set-up going forward.
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