August 27th 2024.
Earlier this month, the talented Matthijs de Ligt made his highly anticipated move from Bayern Munich to Manchester United. This transfer has stirred up quite a bit of controversy, with Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus expressing his disappointment in the club's decision to let De Ligt go. According to Matthaus, some of his former teammates are still in disbelief over the move.
The 25-year-old defender completed his switch to Old Trafford just before the start of the Premier League season, in a deal worth an initial £38m. This was a major double signing for the Red Devils, as they also brought in Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern. It's clear that manager Erik ten Hag has made strengthening his back line a top priority.
However, Matthaus believes that Bayern have made a grave mistake by selling De Ligt. He feels that the club has significantly weakened their defense by letting go of their most stable defender and leader. This is not the first time Bayern has lost a key player, as they did three years ago when David Alaba left for Real Madrid.
Despite Bayern starting their Bundesliga campaign under the leadership of Vincent Kompany with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory against Wolfsburg, Matthaus still sees their defense as a major concern. "The defense is and remains Bayern's Achilles heel," he told Sky Germany. "If De Ligt had not been sold, I would not have any worries about Bayern's defense. But unfortunately, my opinion differs from those in charge."
Matthaus also shared that many within the team are also disappointed with the decision to let De Ligt go, as they are aware of the shaky state of their defense. He believes that the best defender in their squad has been sold, leaving them in a precarious position.
Bayern sporting director Max Eberl explained that the decision to sell De Ligt was made in order to bring in a different type of defender. "We have to make decisions where we feel we can have the greatest possible success," Eberl stated. "We spoke to the players very transparently and then made decisions, and that's how we got the squad we have now."
Since his move to Manchester United, De Ligt has not yet started for the club, only making appearances as a substitute in their matches against Fulham and Brighton. However, fans and analysts are eagerly awaiting his impact on the team.
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