Matthijs De Ligt | Ajax CB

izec

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When i saw him against us, i knew he would be the next best thing. I didnt get the Sanchez hype, but thought De Ligt was the real deal, he seemed far more mature and unfazed.

He wont move for now, but by the time he moves on, all the top clubs will be there. I can especially see Bayern and Barca already licking their fingers
 
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Kostov

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We could do a lot worse than bringing De Ligt and Tierney to bolster our defense this summer. Two very smart buys who would improve us long term or even by the end of next season.
 
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Sjaakmeoff

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De Ligt won't go anywhere where he won't play.

He's 18 but he's ready to play and keep growing. Will be one of the best.
 

legolegs

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De Ligt won't go anywhere where he won't play.

He's 18 but he's ready to play and keep growing. Will be one of the best.
60m is also a hefty sum to pay for a player who you don't plan to play right away, even in 2018. I think he'll stay for another year.
 

Keeps It tidy

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60m is also a hefty sum to pay for a player who you don't plan to play right away, even in 2018. I think he'll stay for another year.
Depends on the side interested. He would start right now for Liverpool. And if Umtiti leaves Barca for some reason he would start there as well.
 

charlenefan

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When i saw him against us, i knew he would be the next best thing. I didnt get the Sanchez hype, but thought De Ligt was the real deal, he seemed far more mature and unfazed.
I thought the same but fair play Sanchez has been excellent for Spurs this season
 

legolegs

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tbh..i don't think United will make a chance of signing him.
I don't think he'll go there either. At least not now, obviously you never know what's going to happen in the future.
Depends on the side interested. He would start right now for Liverpool. And if Umtiti leaves Barca for some reason he would start there as well.
Oh I agree with that. It was just in addition to the point that he wouldn't want to go to a side that wouldn't play him right away.
But yeah, there are some clubs that have the money and could offer him a realistic chance to start for them right away. Still don't really think it will happen though. Him not going to the world cup might actually help us keeping him for another year.
 

Canagel

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Was impressive in EL final last year along with davinson sanchez. One to keep an eye on in the coming years.
 

el3mel

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Think he'll suit Barca perfectly. Can be the best successor for Pique in the long run if they get him.
 

el3mel

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Specially with Umtidi leaving this summer ..
Don't get your hopes up.

Umtiti and De Lift, can actually become a great CB pairing. If they get Griezmann in the attack too, Barca will be back to dominate Europe again with a perfect team built for a long term.
 

DarkXaero

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De Ligt was the more impressive player to me than Sanchez when we played them in the EL final. Great maturity for such a young player.
 

OneFootball

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Depends on the side interested. He would start right now for Liverpool. And if Umtiti leaves Barca for some reason he would start there as well.
He would indeed, We desparately need a CB to play alongside VVD and I think that de Ligt would be ideal. Still has much to improve but already a fine CB and has all the characteristics to be very, very good. I’m hoping that Herr Klopp shares my opinion. Didn’t know Umtiti was leaving! Is it a contract issue or is there another reason?
 

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In the EL finalf and the recent game against England he seemed to have Rashford completely under control without much effort.

He's going to be a world class CB.
 

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Wowza, the hype is real.

Fantastic prospect for sure, but my God let’s give the kid a chance to mature. Hope he captajns Ajax for at least one season before taking the plunge. He’s only 18, got nothing but time.
 

Keeps It tidy

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Wowza, the hype is real.

Fantastic prospect for sure, but my God let’s give the kid a chance to mature. Hope he captajns Ajax for at least one season before taking the plunge. He’s only 18, got nothing but time.
He was the captain for the first time during Ajax's 4-1 win against Heerenveen got forward and scored the first goal that match(was not from a set piece). Was the captain again for Ajax's last match against Sparta.
 

KirkDuyt

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He was the captain for the first time during Ajax's 4-1 win against Heerenveen got forward and scored the first goal that match(was not from a set piece). Was the captain again for Ajax's last match against Sparta.
I know, but I mean, play a whole season as captain start to finish :)

He's very good, especially for his age and he's done it against the big boys too. Another plus is that he's not the kind of kid that will let it goes to his head, he's a down to earth intelligent boy. He has all the ingredients to go all the way, I just hope he makes the right choices.
 

Kostov

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I've been impressed by De Ligt, he looks like a better prospect than Vertonghen and Alderweireld ever were. Any Ajax regular watchers can confirm or deny this?
 

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Impressive player, not by yesterday because we were awfull, but if we take into account he is 3 years younger than Davinson Sanchez.

Having said that, I don't know if it is good for his development to leave now Ajax, he is still very young, for example don't know if it would be good for him to go now for United.

Another interesting factor regarding the Dutch NT or Dutch league, for all the stick they receive when you look at the amount of top quality CB's who left Dutch clubs in the last 5 years they have a impressive output imo.
 

MUFC OK

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A van gaal signing not too likely to be a mourinho one. Love defenders like this but only suit a certain style
Agree, Jose prefers aggressive defenders which makes me think there could be some truth in the Umtiti rumours. I still want Alderweireld though, I think he's colossal at the back.
 

legolegs

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I've been impressed by De Ligt, he looks like a better prospect than Vertonghen and Alderweireld ever were. Any Ajax regular watchers can confirm or deny this?
I'd say he reached a certain level sooner than they did and I wouldn't be shocked to see him surpass both. Vertonghen absolutely dominated the league to a degree you usually see from attackers and midfielders only but then again he was 24-25 that season. I wouldn't put it past de Ligt to reach that level around 20 the way things have been going so far.
 

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In the EL finalf and the recent game against England he seemed to have Rashford completely under control without much effort.

He's going to be a world class CB.
Really? he should have had a penalty given against him, I thought. No doubt a talent, but I'm not sure that's entirely true.
 

Kostov

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I'd say he reached a certain level sooner than they did and I wouldn't be shocked to see him surpass both. Vertonghen absolutely dominated the league to a degree you usually see from attackers and midfielders only but then again he was 24-25 that season. I wouldn't put it past de Ligt to reach that level around 20 the way things have been going so far.
Absolutely, he is 18 and he can move out of Holland much sooner, which in my opinion can contribute in him reaching even higher level than Vertonghen.
 

imperi

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Absolutely, he is 18 and he can move out of Holland much sooner, which in my opinion can contribute in him reaching even higher level than Vertonghen.
At 18 Vertonghen was on loan at RKC because Ajax were in doubt he was good enough to make it to the first team. The kid has the qualities to go all the way, if he does however remains to be seen.
 

Ajaxsuarez

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I've been impressed by De Ligt, he looks like a better prospect than Vertonghen and Alderweireld ever were. Any Ajax regular watchers can confirm or deny this?
De Ligt is already imo playing at a higher level than Alderweireld ever reached at Ajax. Verotonghen had a season at 24 that is probably the best centreback season in the Dutch league in the 21st century, alongside Alex at PSV and then followed by Sanchez last season. De Ligt is pretty close to that sort of performance and he's only 18. He's incredibly consistent. He's a leader. clever. defends aggressively but intelligently (think the aggression on the ball of Vertonghen but with the more clever timing of Alderweireld). Has a crosspass and a throughball as well. Only worry is still his mobility. If he gets any bigger with age he really could get in trouble. Fortunately he himself realises that and has been following individual training for over a year now to work on exactly that.

Also despite my hesitations about him as a coach, I'm happy he gets to work under Koeman. That's a player who, footballing, I've always likened him to since his youth days. He's two footed, can dribble, shoot, and has a brilliant eye for a pass. Koeman is the perfect person to give him that additional guidance in that (and apparently his instructions for De Ligt for last night were about his attacking input). It's so rare to have such a good footballing centreback who is at such a young age also already equally good defensively and physically. Usually there's one or two of those that needs to catch up. not the case with de ligt.
 

Sjaakmeoff

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As an Ajax fan i would prefer that he stays for a year or two. Players leave too early nowadays imo.

But...De Ligt is a whole other story. I think he's ready and wont get much better playing in the Eredivisie. He needs to play against the best to improve to what i think he can be. And that is one of the best there are.

But who is going to pay in excess of 60 mio euro's for an 18 year old?
 

Jayus20

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De Ligt is already imo playing at a higher level than Alderweireld ever reached at Ajax. Verotonghen had a season at 24 that is probably the best centreback season in the Dutch league in the 21st century, alongside Alex at PSV and then followed by Sanchez last season. De Ligt is pretty close to that sort of performance and he's only 18. He's incredibly consistent. He's a leader. clever. defends aggressively but intelligently (think the aggression on the ball of Vertonghen but with the more clever timing of Alderweireld). Has a crosspass and a throughball as well. Only worry is still his mobility. If he gets any bigger with age he really could get in trouble. Fortunately he himself realises that and has been following individual training for over a year now to work on exactly that.

Also despite my hesitations about him as a coach, I'm happy he gets to work under Koeman. That's a player who, footballing, I've always likened him to since his youth days. He's two footed, can dribble, shoot, and has a brilliant eye for a pass. Koeman is the perfect person to give him that additional guidance in that (and apparently his instructions for De Ligt for last night were about his attacking input). It's so rare to have such a good footballing centreback who is at such a young age also already equally good defensively and physically. Usually there's one or two of those that needs to catch up. not the case with de ligt.
If someone were to come in for him this summer what do you reckon Ajax would ask for him?

Don't know if we're interested in him but from the looks of him and sounds of him he seems like even at 18 he'd probably be already getting first team football at Liverpool. I know Barcelona are interested but surely he wouldn't be as an appealing offer from them this summer as playing first team football at a top PL club next to his national captain. He's pretty much the ideal partner for Van Dijk imo.
 

bond19821982

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Bar chelsea and City, almost every big club will be chasing a CB in 1-2 years.
Should stay there for 2 years and take a move .
 

onemanarmy

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If someone were to come in for him this summer what do you reckon Ajax would ask for him?

Don't know if we're interested in him but from the looks of him and sounds of him he seems like even at 18 he'd probably be already getting first team football at Liverpool. I know Barcelona are interested but surely he wouldn't be as an appealing offer from them this summer as playing first team football at a top PL club next to his national captain. He's pretty much the ideal partner for Van Dijk imo.
No way he would refuse an offer from Barcelona in favor of Liverpool, be realistic.
 

SoulSurvivor

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Bar chelsea and City, almost every big club will be chasing a CB in 1-2 years.
Should stay there for 2 years and take a move .
I love him to stay for 2 more years. But to be honest, he's already too good for the Eredivisie.

He’s the Mbappe of defenders. He needs to play in a better league to further develop himself.

Our league is a complete joke.
 
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legolegs

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At 18 Vertonghen was on loan at RKC because Ajax were in doubt he was good enough to make it to the first team. The kid has the qualities to go all the way, if he does however remains to be seen.
There wasn't really doubt surrounding his quality, we just had Heitinga and Vermaelen in their 20s back then so we loaned him out for half a season to gain some experience (he was already 19 btw). Hard to say if de Ligt would have gained a starting spot at 18 back then. Still though I think de Ligt is around the level right now that Vertonghen reached around 21-22 which is pretty big considering Vertonghen was a great prospect himself.
If someone were to come in for him this summer what do you reckon Ajax would ask for him?
We don't want to sell and he doesn't want to leave but rumor is we'd sell at around 60m which seems realistic to me.
 
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