Matthijs de Ligt reveals the secret behind leadership that will help Man United

Matthijs de Ligt has revealed the secret behind his leadership that will help Manchester United on and off the pitch.

De Ligt, 25, is set to complete his United move on Monday. The player is already at Carrington to undergo his medical.

Bayern Munich and the Reds agreed a deal for an initial £38.6 million for the defender, while an additional £4.2 million are to be paid in easily achievable add-ons.

The Dutch defender will bring some much-needed quality and depth to the backline at Old Trafford following the exit of Raphaël Varane.

Leny Yoro has also joined the club but suffered an unfortunate injury in pre-season that will keep him out of action for around three months.

More importantly, De Ligt will bring some crucial leadership traits into the United dressing room that have often been missing in recent years.

The 25-year-old became the youngest captain in Ajax’s history after coming through the academy at the Amsterdam club. He has since had prominent roles for Bayern and Juventus.

When asked about those leadership skills, De Ligt admitted that he has been fortunate to work with some of the best and most experienced players in the game, which helped him develop those characteristics.

“I think I developed early on and, unlike others, I’ve been lucky enough to play for many years with seasoned professionals who have enormous experience,” he told Bayern media.

“I was able to learn and adapt a lot early on, at Ajax, in the Dutch national team and then at Juventus.

“Players like [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Leonardo] Bonucci, Cristiano Ronaldo or [Gianluigi] Buffon are 10, 12, 13 years older, and I took my cue from those characters.

“Maybe I’m more mature than other 22-year-olds, but I don’t see that as something special.”

The centre-back will hope to complete his United move as soon as possible and make himself available for the opening Premier League fixture against Fulham.

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