Germany football expert Constantin Eckner said: “It is safe to say that De Ligt’s move to Bayern in 2022 did not completely pan out as anticipated.
“Even though the Dutch defender struggled at times during his spell in Italy, he was still viewed as one of the most talented centre-backs in Europe. At first, De Ligt did not necessarily impress but was quite consistent in his performances for the German powerhouse, without committing too many costly mistakes.
“During the second half of the 2022-23 season, in which Bayern sacked Julian Nagelsmann and hired Thomas Tuchel as his replacement, De Ligt increasingly stepped up his game and was arguably the best player in the Bundesliga.”
After that promising run of form, it seemed like last season would be the making of De Ligt.
But “the opposite happened”, said Eckner.
“De Ligt and Tuchel found themselves at odds for a while, with the Dutchman demanding to be a regular starter and anchor at the back, while Tuchel was frequently rotating his centre-backs until the later stages of the season when he picked De Ligt and Eric Dier as his preferred pairing.
“De Ligt seems to have a high opinion of himself and his abilities, thus he does not hide his dissatisfaction if he sits on the bench.”
New manager Vincent Kompany, who left Burnley for Bayern this summer, is said to see Dayot Upamecano as his first-choice centre-back, with Englishman Dier and South Korea’s Kim Min-jae battling for the second spot.
So how will De Ligt get on at Old Trafford?
Eckner said: “He has proven that he possesses the potential to be one of the more impressive defenders in any league, but performing consistently and not being upset about any setbacks is key now that he joins Manchester United.
“Perhaps the hype surrounding him amid his move from Ajax to Juventus in 2019 put too much pressure on a young player, and he still needs time to figure out how to perform as effortlessly as he did as a teenage sensation back in Amsterdam.”