Manchester United finally got back to winning ways in the 2025/26 Premier League season, avenging an embarrassing early League Cup exit to Grimsby Town at mid-week by surviving a stiff challenge from newcomers Burnley on Saturday.
New signing Bryan Mbeumo played the hero again for the Red Devils, continuing his impressive performances despite the team’s shaky start, playing a vital role in the wing.
But Mbeumo wasn’t the only standout for Manchester United, and while the defense has been embattled of late, fans of the club were ready to support a star center back whose quality work over the past several months has largely gone undervalued by the masses.
As one Manchester United supporter succinctly stated, “De Ligt is so underrated man.”
Another added, “De Ligt doesn’t get praised enough.”
And finally one fan wrote, “How underrated is De Ligt though? He’s been a massive signing for us, this guy..”
Manchester United have a new leader
Despite the fact that De Ligt set Juventus back 85 million euros and Bayern Munich a whopping 67 million euros a few years later, Manchester United spent a reasonable 45 million euros for one of the most well-known center backs in modern football.
De Ligt has returned to the quality of his early Juve days, and both he and fellow former Ajax man Noussair Mazraoui have proven to be inspired and bargain transfers from the biggest club in the Bundesliga for Manchester United.
Mazraoui received effusive praise from Man United supporters throughout last season as the best signing of an otherwise dismal summer 2024 market, but now it is De Ligt’s turn to get some love.
He is an undisputed starter for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim in this back three and a young leader for the squad, taking the mantle from the now respected Harry Maguire.
De Ligt has started all three Premier League fixtures this season for the Red Devils, and against Burnley this weekend, the Dutchman completed nearly 90 percent of his pass attempts with four clearances.
His reading of the game was so brilliant and composed that De Ligt didn’t even have to make a single intervention, and he has been dribbled past just once in three games this season with a healthy dose of clearances and blocked shots thrown in.
Manchester United need to improve at all levels this season, and while more players do need to step up, at least Man United can feel good about Mbeumo and De Ligt being key building blocks for the side going forward.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2011. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has contributed to sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. Joe’s work has appeared in ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Sports Illustrated. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling, respectively.