In a recent report from Sports Illustrated, it is believed that Manchester City could be a potential destination for Juventus defender Matthijs De Ligt, as he remains unsettled at Turin. It has been mentioned that the former Ajax star could exit Allianz stadium considering his displeasure with Bianconeri’s form.
De Ligt’s Campaign With Juventus This Season
Matthijs De Ligt has had a solid campaign, having produced a few impressive displays in Serie A. The right-back has scored three goals and created one assist over 42 appearances this season across all competitions.
He has successfully established himself as a regular feature in the backline, averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, and 3.1 clearances per game in the Serie A. He has also been impressive while distributing possession completing 88.9% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Italian football (stats via whoscored).
Should Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Launch A Move For This Aspirational Defender?
De Ligt has been a solid presence at Juventus’ backline and is not afraid to put his foot into a tackle. He is adept at playing his way out from the back and remains exceptional in distributing the ball to his teammates.
The Nederlands international can win a couple of aerial duels from the opposition attributing to his 1.88m tall frame. He can sense the danger quickly and excels at clearing the lines when the opposition is on the attacking front.
At 22, he has already established himself as one of the finest defenders in Europe and has proven to be a talented youngster. His best days are still ahead of him and he can improve further with each season.
De Ligt’s addition to the squad would be a brilliant move. A player of such calibre would bolster the backline with the likes of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones already performing consistently under Guardiola.
With the hopes of lifting the Champions League trophy next season and the Etihad club aiming to win the league title for a third consecutive time, Pep Guardiola could capitalise on this chance at acquiring the aspirational defender as the Sky Blues remain more than capable of meeting his wage demands.
