Matthijs de Ligt reveals Man United star who “motivates” him massively as deal confirmed

Matthijs de Ligt has revealed the Manchester United star who has “motivated” him massively as his deal is on the verge of completion.

De Ligt, 25, is poised to finalise his move to United on Monday, with the player already at Carrington for his medical.

Bayern Munich and the Red Devils have agreed on a deal worth an initial £38.6 million for the defender, with an additional £4.2 million in easily attainable add-ons.

The Dutch centre-back will provide crucial quality and depth to Erik ten Hag’s defence following the departure of Raphaël Varane from Old Trafford.

While the 25-year-old has not played with the current United squad, he has been a teammate of one of the best players in the club’s history.

De Ligt worked closely with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Juventus and was able to learn many things from the footballing legend.

He has explained his gratitude for working alongside such players and how it “motivates you immensely,” singling out Ronaldo’s influence at the Allianz Stadium.

“It was a good experience because I learned a lot not only as a footballer but also as a person,” De Ligt told Bayern media.

“When you see these champions every day, how they train and take care of their bodies, how they perform … It motivates you immensely.

“I am grateful and happy that I was allowed to play there for three years. Cristiano Ronaldo’s hunger particularly stood out.

“He’s won everything, several Ballon d’Ors, the Champions League five times and every major championship he’s played in.

“But he still has that greed in him, like he’s a 19-year-old who’s just started his career.”

De Ligt will be hoping to make his United debut at Old Trafford on Friday when the Reds face Fulham in their opening Premier League fixture.

Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is released every Thursday at 6 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.