Tim Sherwood is not convinced by new Manchester United signing Matthijs de Ligt, who is certainly not better than Lisandro Martinez.
confirmed the signings of De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
The Netherlands defender is reunited with Red Devils manager Erik Ten Hag, whom he played under at Ajax, after joining from Bayern for a reported £38million fee, which could rise to £45m.
De Ligt, who has won league titles with Ajax, Juventus and Bayern, said: “As soon as I heard that Manchester United wanted me, I felt an excitement about the opportunity of a new challenge at such an historic club.
“In the conversations that followed, I was impressed by the vision that the football leadership set out, and the role they saw for me in it.
“Erik Ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career so he knows how to get the best out of me and I cannot wait to work with him again.
“I know what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and I’m determined to continue that record at this special club.”
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Mazraoui, 26, also played under Ten Hag at Ajax. He won three league titles with the Dutch club and another with Bayern.
The Morocco full-back has also made 28 appearances for his country and reached the semi-final of the 2022 World Cup.
He has signed a four-year deal with the option of a further year and arrives on the day that full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s departure to West Ham was confirmed.
The signing of both players bolsters a Man Utd defence in need of reinforcements, and Mazraoui could be called into action sooner than expected with Luke Shaw absent through injury.
De Ligt is the second centre-back Ten Hag s side have bought this summer after Leny Yoro.
He has plenty of experience having played for Ajax, Juventus and Bayern, but former Tottenham manager Sherwood is not convinced.
Speaking after Man Utd confirmed the signing of De Ligt, Sherwood questioned if the 25-year-old is better than Harry Maguire, who will likely jump ahead of in Ten Hag s centre-back pecking order.
If I were a United fan I wouldn t be jumping up and down with excitement, he said. When he was a younger player he was a very good prospect but he has gone to a big club and lost his way he needs to find a rhythm again.
Ten Hag needs to work with him. For that kind of money, you d expect him to play but there is no guarantee because he has made some big money signings and they have sat on the bench next to him. I m sure the new hierarchy will say, We got him for you, you ll need to bed him in .
Is he better than Harry Maguire? I am not sure. He s certainly not better than [Lisandro] Martinez.
📣 TO THE COMMENTS! Is De Ligt an improvement on Maguire?
