There are certain aspects of De Ligt’s game that may cause some concern, particularly his injury history. In the 2023-24 season, Transfermarkt reports that De Ligt missed 12 games due to injury, while Varane, who faced criticism for his injury problems at Old Trafford, missed 11 matches. However, when looking at De Ligt’s overall career, last season may have been an exception as it is only one of two seasons where he has missed more than seven games due to injury, the other being in 2020-21 when he was out for an extended period with a shoulder injury.
As a player who has featured for three of Europe’s top clubs, De Ligt is likely to demand a significant salary. With the departure of players like Varane and Martial, and uncertainty surrounding the futures of Casemiro and Sancho, Ineos seems to be moving away from signing players on high wages. Bringing in De Ligt could potentially challenge this strategy, but given his past successful collaboration with manager Ten Hag, it may be a risk worth taking. Signing De Ligt would also signal Ineos’ commitment to supporting their manager, especially after extending his contract at Old Trafford.