Manchester United finally look to have turned a corner under Ruben Amorim, no false dawn asterisk involved, with their recent run of results.
The latest one before the international break was a convincing 3-0 win vs Leicester City, which followed a similarly exhilarating 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad.
They will return to competitive club football full of confidence, the goal to win the Europa League clear and looking more viable than it did two weeks ago.
While there have been plenty of architects of this resurgence, chief among them Bruno Fernandes, one player has gone under the radar who had quite a narrative surrounding him when he joined.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Man Utd’s transfer domino in summer
The previous summer window was United’s first under new management and with that came a lot of uncertainty, both in terms of signings and the manager’s future.
Erik ten Hag was ultimately fired about three months into the season but the signings made by Ineos have been developing nicely.
Joshua Zirkzee overcame growing pains to become a fan favourite in a new position, Leny Yoro has exciting potential, Manuel Ugarte is already untouchable, Noussair Mazraoui is reliability personified and Matthijs de Ligt is developing into a leader.
However, if United and Ten Hag had their way, one of these five players wouldn’t even be at Old Trafford.
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Funnily enough, he’s now proving to be a transformative presence for Ruben Amorim, with a failed transfer becoming a blessing in disguise for United.
It is an open secret that United’s top target for defence in the summer was Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite as the club made multiple bids for the Englishman.
Everton held firm on their valuation of £70 million for the player, a sum that cash-strapped United simply couldn’t manage, so they pivoted.
Up came De Ligt’s name and Bayern Munich were willing to do business for just £38.5 million initially, nearly half the price quoted for Branthwaite.
United sealed the deal for a player with more pedigree for nearly half the price. After some growing pains for De Ligt, the Dutchman has become a leader.
Matthijs de Ligt quickly becoming Man Utd’s leader
Be it his vocal encouragement on the pitch, or leading by example through last-ditch tackles, warrior-like commitment, or assertive defending, Man Utd fans are starting to see the best of De Ligt.
De Ligt has been unfairly panned by pundits, misinformed on his career trajectory and the sentiment of Bayern fans when he was sold in the summer.
Like any other signing, he took some time to adjust, not helped by a change of manager, change of system, upheaval in ownership structure, everything contributing to a sea of change.
Now that there’s a settled look to the defence, at least from his position’s perspective, he has started to shine and make a mockery of that transfer fee.
Everton saved United from themselves with that Branthwaite asking price. De Ligt made them better.