Varun Pai
Matthijs de Ligt snubbed Manchester United before making the move to Juventus
According to the Mirror, Matthijs de Ligt had rejected the opportunity to join Manchester United from Ajax a couple of years ago as he chose to join Juventus instead.
The 22-year-old was immense for AFC Ajax in the two years he featured in the senior team for his boyhood club. He was also named club captain at the time and was incredible in the Dutch outfit’s road to the semi-final of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League campaign.
While they did lose to Tottenham in the final minutes of the second leg, that Ajax side had left their footprint on the competition that season. Although several stars of that side left the club eventually, one of the first people to move was Matthijs de Ligt.
The youngster was courted by United as well but the defender instead joined Juventus in a move worth £67.5million. The centre-back also revealed last year that Cristiano Ronaldo also encouraged him to join the Old Lady.
He told Foot Truck in April 2020 (h/t Mirror):
“Ronaldo did speak to me, and obviously it was a big honour. Juventus told me ‘the reason we want to buy you is because you’re already mature and you know how to handle pressure.’
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Since then, Ronaldo has signed for the Old Trafford outfit while the Manchester-based club also brought in a world-class centre-back in Raphael Varane. However, given how young and talented De Ligt is, it makes sense why United were interested in signing the former Ajax star.
The Dutch star is said to be available again next summer with United’s rivals Chelsea understood to be eyeing a deal for the 22-year-old defender. Solskjaer would be hoping that the Blues fail to pull off the signing as it would strengthen a direct title rival.
