De Ligt’s injury history is a concern, but his successful collaboration with manager Ten Hag could make him a valuable addition to Ineos. Last season, Transfermarkt reports that De Ligt missed 12 games due to injury while Varane, who faced criticism for his injury problems at Old Trafford, missed 11 matches. However, it is worth noting that this was an exception for De Ligt as it is only one of two seasons where he has missed more than seven games due to injury. The other season was in 2020-21 when he was out for an extended period with a shoulder injury.
As a player who has featured for three of Europe’s top clubs, De Ligt is likely to demand a significant salary. With the departure of players like Varane and Martial and uncertainty surrounding the futures of Casemiro and Sancho, Ineos seems to be moving away from signing players on high wages. Bringing in De Ligt could potentially challenge this strategy, but given his past successful collaboration with manager Ten Hag and Ineos’ commitment to supporting their manager after extending his contract at Old Trafford, it may be a risk worth taking.
