New Manchester United signing Matthijs De Ligt “has never been the same” since leaving Ajax, claims former Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart.
De Ligt joined United this summer in a deal worth £38.5m plus £4.3m in add-ons after falling down the pecking order at Bayern Munich.
The Netherlands defender was considered one of the best in the world when he left Ajax for Juventus in 2019, but lasted just a year before moving on to the German giants.
De Ligt has made a solid start to his United career, but was taken off at half-time of Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Germany.
And former Tottenham playmaker Van der Vaart has expressed concern for his compatriot, telling Metro: “I’m a big fan of him and his qualities but I also have to be honest - when he left Ajax, he has never been the same.
“I think his career is a little bit stuck. I was there yesterday [for the Netherlands vs Germany game] and he made mistakes again and when you’re not in a good flow, every fault results in a goal. Every mistake leads to a chance.
“I think he was also a bit unlucky so I still believe in his quality so I hope with [Erik] Ten Hag he can get his confidence back because at the end of the day, it is all about confidence. He is still a young guy, playing for a big club.
“He has shown he can recover. His first few games for Ajax and his first game for the national team he made a big mistake but recovered. Normally it is no problem. But now, it is already a long time he is not playing well. But quality-wise he is still a great defender.”
Van der Vaart also suggested that Harry Maguire could put some pressure on De Ligt for a starting spot alongside Lisandro Martinez.
“I think De Ligt plays ahead of him,” Van der Vaart added. “As a new player you would expect him to start but at the end of the day you have to play well. If he continues like this Harry is going to take his chance again.
“I have to say, Harry also played some really good games lately. I think Matthijs will feel the pressure. I think he [Maguire] still has a big role to play. I was someone who said some bad things about his quality because at the time it was too much money for a normal player.
“He had some really bad games and made some big mistakes but mentally wise he has been really strong. He always came back strong last season, he has a really strong mind and I think he’s happy there. They [the staff] love him there so I think he will get his chances.”
