Matthijs de Ligt would fit in well at Manchester United, according to former Red Devils defender Jaap Stam.
The highly-rated centre-back has emerged as a target for many of Europe’s top clubs after starring in Ajax’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.
Although the 19-year-old is expected to follow former team-mate Frenkie De Jong to Barcelona , Manchester United has also been touted as a possible destination for the Dutch international.
Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is thought to be interested in reinforcing his defence this summer, and former United team-mate Stam believes his compatriot would be a good fit at Old Trafford.
“He’s a great player,” Stam told Press Association Sport after playing for Manchester United legends in a game against Bayern Munich.
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“He’s only a youngster as everybody knows. But in how he plays, he’s an adult, to be honest.
“He’s got composure on the ball, he’s aggressive tactically, he sees the game, he reads the game well and he’s got that driving force for himself as well in what you need to achieve and where you want to go to.
“I think that’s one of the most important thing for a player to have – to have goals for yourself, that you want to make steps, that you want to improve yourself, that you want to go the highest level.
“I think he would suit very well over here if they’re trying to pick him up and I am not sure if that’s the truth, of course, because a lot of things have been said and have been written as well.
“But he is a player that absolutely fits in here, but it is up to him as well.
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“He’s the type of player that a manager I think wants to work with.”
Solskjaer is set for a busy summer at United as he looks to turn things around after a disappointing end to the season.
The club ended the season empty-handed and missed out on a place in next season’s Champions League after finishing sixth in the Premier League.
And Stam believes that the Norwegian needs to look at strengthening all areas of his squad if his side are to make big improvements next season.
He added: “Well, I think in every [position], like up front, in the midfield and in the back four, they can use some extra quality as well.”
“You want to have a squad that is competitive to each other as well because everyone needs to push each other basically to get the maximum in achieving something.
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“So, I think as a manager and as a club as well you need to have a look at that and after the last couple of seasons and how it’s been going over here, I think it’s good to evaluate everything within the team.
“Looking at the players, what they’ve done and what they’ve achieved, and even when players still have a contract for another three or four seasons, you need to make your choices towards them as well and what you want to do with them.
“Because at the end of the day, it’s the most important thing that you do well, that you achieve goals that you want to achieve and where you want to go to as a club.
“You have to make hard decisions.”
