Louis van Gaal previously made his thoughts perfectly clear on Matthijs de Ligt and Manchester United. When United were first interested in the central defender in 2019, Van Gaal listed three other clubs he should consider instead of the Red Devils.
Five years later, the 24-year-old ignored his advice by agreeing personal terms with Erik ten Hag's side. Despite being Ten Hag's captain at Ajax, interest in the Bayern Munich defender has now cooled, with United on the cusp of signing £52million defender Leny Yoro, who completed a medical at the club yesterday.
With the chances of De Ligt joining the club now depending on any future sales, Van Gaal may be happy the player he coached with the Netherlands is no longer heading to the club he left in 2016. READ MORE: Try MUFC Pro for FREE for our best Manchester United coverage READ MORE: Adrien Rabiot has already revealed his Manchester United stance amid 'talks' over free transfer When Van Gaal was asked who De Ligt should join by Ziggo Sport in 2019, Van Gaal said: "De Ligt at Juventus?
I think De Ligt can play in any competition. "In Italy, they are the masters of defence, so he can best develop there. If I had the chance I would go to Barcelona.
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