Series on former Bayern star Matthijs De Ligt: coaching changes remain
In the bright light of the Old‑Trafford‑stand, where the empty coaching office still echoes after Thursday’s farewell of Michael Carrick, the curious series of former Bayern star Matthijs de Ligt adds another chapter. The centre‑back starts his twelfth professional season once again under a new coach at Manchester United.
Carrick‑dismissal and immediate consequences
A rather curious run for former Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt continues after the departure of coach Michael Carrick at Manchester United.
Carrick, whose seat had already been wobbling for a long time, was dismissed on Thursday.
For de Ligt this means: Even at the start of his twelfth professional season, i.e. during this period, the centre‑back will have a new coach.
De Ligt's ever‑changing coaching history
Curiously, De Ligt has never so far entered the next season with the same coach with whom he started the previous one.
When the then 17‑year‑old de Ligt made the jump to the first team in the 2016/17 season at Ajax Amsterdam, Peter Bosz was his coach.
Since the latter moved to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017, de Ligt's second professional season began under Marcel Keizer.
He, however, stayed only half a year and was replaced by Erik ten Hag, with whom de Ligt then began the 2018/19 season.
De Ligt had three different coaches in three years at Juventus.
In the following season, the Dutchman inevitably had a new coach after his move to Juventus Turin, but only worked with Maurizio Sarri for one year.
Manchester United signs Pochettino, then the friendlies against the USA
Because he was dismissed after the 2019/20 season and replaced by Juve icon Andrea Pirlo, who, however, also had to leave just twelve months later.
De Ligt's coaching “wear‑and‑tear” therefore continued, and at the start of the 2021/22 season he was coached at Juventus by Massimiliano Allegri.
He stayed in Turin until 2024, but de Ligt departed in 2022 for a €67 million fee to FC Bayern and again had a new coach, this time Julian Nagelsmann.
After his dismissal in spring 2023, Thomas Tuchel took over at the FCB, while de Ligt moved to Manchester United in 2024.
There his stint began with ten Hag, his former coach at Ajax, but after a few months ten Hag was dismissed and Ruben Amorim took over at United.
With the Portuguese, de Ligt then started his 2025/26 season, but ended it after Amorim's dismissal in early 2026 under Michael Carrick.
Outlook: United, new coaches and contract details
Now that the Englishman has also been sacked at Old Trafford, it is clear: De Ligt will again have a different coach at the start of the 2027/28 season than at the beginning of the previous campaign.
Pochettino ready to coach United, but first on the bench for USA
According to media reports, the leading favourite to replace Carrick is Mauricio Pochettino.
To get the 54‑year‑old Argentine out of his contract, which runs until 2030 as the USA national team coach, United would likely have to pay a release clause of €8.6 million.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola is in talks to succeed Pochettino in the USA.
De Ligt, however, has played hardly any role for United this season after a previously lengthy back injury.
He has only made two appearances for the 27‑year‑old in 2026/27; at the end of October he celebrated his comeback in the 1‑4 loss at Como in the Champions League after more than ten months of enforced inactivity.
De Ligt's contract in Manchester, for which he has made 58 appearances (three goals) in just under two and a half years, runs until 2029.