There is no doubt that Manchester United’s dismal on-field performances over the past few seasons have fallen far short of supporters’ expectations.
The Red Devils faithful have always been successful, as evidenced by their 13 Premier League titles, all under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ruben Amorim is the latest manager to join the list of managers to achieve such a feat, making it 12 years since the club won a title in England’s top division.
However, the club’s 15th place finish in the 2024/25 season highlights the work he and the first-team squad have to do to achieve such a feat in the near future.
Although it remains highly unlikely that he will compete for the title this season, the 40-year-old will undoubtedly see the development of many players within his ranks.
Manchester United star players to date in 2025/26
In a bid to regain their former glory, United paid nearly £71 million to sign Brian Mbeumo from Brentford in the recent summer transfer window.
Given the nature of his remuneration, supporters no doubt had high expectations for the forward’s development, but he has already shown glimpses of living up to the hype.
The 26-year-old has already established himself as one of Amorim’s most important attackers, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his first eight games for the club.
He is not the only player to perform well in these areas, Amad Diallo also did well, picking up where he left off at the end of the previous campaign.
The Ivorian has failed to register a single goal or assist, but ranks third in the team in terms of chances created, and has since highlighted his ability to cause endless havoc for opponents.
However, despite the performance of the aforementioned duo, another first-team member managed to impress and turn his career at the club around.
United’s star player named player of the season so far
Given United’s poor performance in the league last season, it should come as no surprise that many of United’s players failed to make the impact they expected at Old Trafford.
A number of players moved during the summer transfer window as Amorim were looking to complete an overhaul of their first-team squad to fit a 3-4-2-1 system.
Part of the reason for his departure was to give room for a £200m splurge that would allow Mbeumo et al to make their own move to the north west.
However, some substandard performers remained at Theater of Dreams, with Matthijs de Ligt being the only talent the director decided to retain for 2025/26.
The Dutch international was often poached last season due to his lack of impact, with former Red Devils fan favorite Paul Scholes also expressing his disappointment with the defender.
Last season, the 50-year-old told Overlap that his poor form was a “big concern” over a move to Manchester, but it’s safe to say the former Bayern Munich star is starting to prove his doubts wrong.
De Ligt has started all seven of the club’s league games in 2025/26 so far, playing every minute and helping Amorim’s side keep a clean sheet in their recent win over Sunderland.
Matthijs de Ligt – PL statistics (2025/26) | |
|---|---|
Statistics (every 90) | tally |
games played | 7 |
Play time (minutes) | 630 |
Pass accuracy | 88% |
won a duel | 6.2 |
aerial won | 3.6 |
Number of intercepts | 1.2 |
dribbling success | 50% |
tackle win | 2.2 |
Statistics by FotMob | |
His basic statistics are equally impressive, with him winning 6.2 duels out of 90 since then, a record that ranks him within the top 16% of all players in the Premier League.
He also wins 3.6 aerial duels and intercepts 1.2 per 90, numbers that definitely give the team the defensive presence they lacked last season.
In possession, the 26-year-old was equally impressive, completing 88% of his attempted passes. Probably the perfect all-round defender for the Red Devils.
Given his poor form last season and before joining United, De Ligt is undoubtedly one of the first names on the team sheet now and his impressive recovery is really a credit to the player.
His performances have ensured he has been named the club’s player of the year so far and there is real hope that he can maintain that level for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.
