Matthijs de Ligt reveals “biggest strength” – it translates perfectly to the Premier League

Matthijs de Ligt has revealed his “biggest strength” as he completes his Manchester United move and it translates to the Premier League perfectly.

De Ligt, 25, signed for United on Tuesday evening alongside fellow Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui.

After the departures of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphaël Varane and Willy Kambwala, the Reds desperately needed further defensive reinforcements.

Erik ten Hag’s side brought in the highly-rated teenager Leny Yoro, who unfortunately got injured during the pre-season tour.

De Ligt will bring much-needed leadership and quality to the backline after spending time at Ajax, Juventus and Bayern.

Some have questioned whether he will be able to adapt to the Premier League but the defender has already experienced vastly different footballing situations in his career so far.

From playing in the tactically dominant Serie A to the rock-and-roll style in the Bundesliga, De Ligt has been able to adapt to different situations mainly because of his ability to read the game.

“In Italy, defenders run the least amount of kilometres in the team, here it’s different: I almost run the most,” he explained during his time in Germany.

“With my power and pace, I can dominate opponents, but I’m not one of those defenders who can simply outrun everyone.

“I’m relying a lot on the mental side of the game. My biggest strength is reading the game and anticipating what’s happening.

“Physically, playing at this level is hard enough. But it’s even harder on a mental level for a defender. You can play the best game and then lose your marker in the last minute and it’s game over.

“It’s hard to keep up that level of concentration — not just every three days, but in training as well.”

Of course, the Premier League demands a great deal from players, but one important thing you need is the ability to read the game’s play.

You will face short and tricky attackers and dominant forwards, all with different styles of teams. The most difficult thing for a player is being able to adjust to the different situations in English football.

De Ligt could be making his debut for the club this Friday when United begin their Premier League season against Fulham at Old Trafford.

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