A former Manchester United coach has sensationally claimed that Matthijs De Ligt is 'too heavy' and that his weight is affecting his performance on the pitch.
Rene Meulensteen enjoyed multiple spells as part of the backroom staff at United during Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary reign at the club.
And the Dutchman has insisted that his compatriot De Ligt needs to improve the consistency of his performances if he is to be a success at Old Trafford.
'Matthijs de Ligt's form is a concern because consistent performances and leadership are not guaranteed week in, week out.' Meulensteen told CoinPoker.
'He had a significant number of injuries last year and wasn't always a first-choice player for Ruben Amorim.
The 61-year-old - who briefly managed Fulham between 2013 and 2014 - added that De Ligt's weight could prove to be a cause for concern for Amorim going forward.
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'When he first emerged at Ajax he was a strong athlete,' Meulensteen added.
'But I believe he has become a little too heavy over time, which hasn't always benefited his game, despite his naturally strong build. This will be a critical season for him.
'It will be interesting to see what formation Amorim implements at Manchester United, given the number of centre-back options.'
'They have so many central defenders to choose from. Consistency is key, especially in the backline to create stability. Players need to understand each other's movements and react accordingly.
'Injuries sometimes necessitate chopping and changing, this is definitely a critical season for him. He's only 26, I thought he was older given all the clubs he's played for.
'You'd expect him to be the next consistent centre-back for the next four years, easily. We'll see what happens.'
Following months of speculation, De Ligt joined United from Bayern Munich last summer in a deal worth £60million that also saw Noussair Mazraoui arrive at Old Trafford.
Upon arrival at the club De Ligt was reunited with Erik ten Hag, who previously worked alongside him in the Dutch capital with Ajax.
Ten Hag's reign in Manchester would ultimately come to an end shortly after De Ligt's arrival however, with the Dutchman sacked in October after United slumped to their worst-ever Premier League start.
Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon the following month, and De Ligt remained a consistent presence in the heart of United's defence before injuries curtailed his maiden Premier League campaign.
After recovering from the injury Amorim has once again entrusted De Ligt with a place in United's starting XI.
The former Juventus defender enjoyed an impressive performance on the opening weekend, stifling Arsenal's new signing Viktor Gyokeres despite United falling to a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
De Ligt was also largely solid against Fulham on Sunday, though he made an error in the lead-up to Emile Smith-Rowe's equaliser as United were forced to settle for a point.
United will look to secure their first Premier League win of the season when they play host to newly-promoted Burnley on Saturday.
