AMSTERDAM, December 20 -- Where should Matthijs de Ligt go if he leaves Ajax? Dream or realistic? This is not at all surprising as the underlying coaching philosophy is attack-oriented. When it comes to central defenders, they are expected to combine the art of defending with playmaking. A contemporary example, who continues to make glowing headlines, is Ajax’s teenage captain Matthijs de Ligt. His first Champions League group phase appearance was this season, in Munich against Bayern. There he passed a stern examination posed by Robert Lewandowski. He then proceeded to guide Ajax through the entire group stage unbeaten and into the round of 16. He now has 86 appearances for Ajax and is quite absurdly still a teenager – he doesn’t turn 20 until August 2019! It’s undeniable that De Ligt is a player wise beyond his years.
With seemingly unlimited potential, there is a risk of getting carried away, but it is hard not to when De Ligt, who earned his first Netherlands call-up aged 17, has all the hallmarks of a potential great; think Jaap Stam, who, it is fair to say, was the last truly universally celebrated Dutch centre-back. Virgil van Dijk, with whom De Ligt has forged a solid defensive partnership for the Oranje, is currently the defender du jour (rightfully so, following a number of exceptional performances for Liverpool and the national team) But it can be argued that his talent ceiling is lower than that of De Ligt. With that being considered the duo have been formidable as Ronald Koeman’s side reached the UEFA Nations League finals, fending off ridiculously stern competition from World Cup winners France and Germany in Group A1. Such has been De Ligt’s ascent to undisputed Netherlands starter as well as Ajax vice-captain and all-around wonderkid status that he was recently crowned 2018’s Golden Boy, following in the footsteps of such incredible names as Leo Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé. He is the first Dutchman to win it since Raphael van der Vaart in 2003, and the first ever defender to ever win it. Dream: Barcelona De Ligt came through Ajax’s esteemed youth academy, so Barcelona, who share a footballing philosophy thanks to Johan Cruyff, is seen by many observers as the ideal destination and those running the Camp Nou club reportedly agree. He has even said publicly that Barcelona are his favourites club in Spain. The only question is whether he is ready to make the jump. There is no question the level at La Liga’s reigning champions (in terms of pressure and domestic opposition) is a step up from what De Ligt will have become accustomed to in the Eredivisie. Realistic: Bayern Munich Bayern saw firsthand what De Ligt is capable of and that should give the powers-that-be at the Allianz pause for thought. Jérôme Boateng was close to leaving the record German champions in the summer and although, for one reason or another, he remained, his time could be running out. There are no shortage of internal replacements for Boateng at Bayern, notably 23-year-old Niklas Süle, while Mats Hummels, at 29, is not quite over the hill yet. De Ligt, though, represents a long-term investment and could immediately settle alongside the aforementioned Hummels. His ability to resolve situations through good positional sense will no doubt complement the former Borussia Dortmund man while Bayern, though an incredible step up, is less daunting than Barça.
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