Matthijs de Ligt pushed to leave Juventus this summer and it came as a surprise to some fans because they had expected the defender to stay and become the club’s main man at the back now that Giorgio Chiellini has left.
The Dutchman had moved to Turin from Ajax in 2019 after a stunning 2018/2019 campaign.
He continued his development at the club and was the first choice centre-back under Maurizio Sarri and Andrea Pirlo.
However, when Max Allegri returned last season, he preferred the partnership between Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
That didn’t seem to go down well with De Ligt and the defender discussed it in a recent interview.
He said, as quoted by Football Italia:
“Last season, for the first time in my career, I had two coaches, Louis van Gaal and Massimiliano Allegri, who didn’t put me in the starting lineup and didn’t feel confident.
“Before that, I had always had coaches who were fans of me and then it is easy to perform.”
Juve FC Says
De Ligt was a key player for us, but the defender wanted more relevance.
He was still developing before he left the club and Allegri has his preference for every position on his team.
He wanted to be the main man or leave and it is great that we have made some good money from his transfer.
not the only one by a long shot. I wonder what other players he disrespects on a regular. Vlahovic a prime scapegoat i noticed. This is what happens when you give a manager power without consequences. Again , bravo agnelli! but of course brand fans will brush this off
When all the central defenders were fully fit Matthijs DE LIGT was NOT first choice under either SARRI or PIRLO. BONUCCI and CHIELLINI were first choice.
As for Holland, under VAN GAAL, first choice are VAN DIJK and DE VRIIJ, with Nathan AKE next in the pecking order. INFORM yourselves , please.
Can you believe it? The total unfairness of football……..CHIELLINI, one of the all time great defenders, with his long time service to Juventus and the CAPTAIN if the team was on a salary of 5 million euros and the GREAT MATTHIJS DE LIGT was on 15 million Euros……….for giving away stupid silly penalties with his arms in constant windmill motion. Incredible. FIFTEEN million.
Wonder of wonders – the GREAT Matthijs DE LIGT is unable to take the place of HERNANDEZ and UPAMECANO at BAYERN MUNICH.