5 storylines to watch for as Europe's top leagues get underway

5 storylines to watch for as Europe’s top leagues get underway

MUNICH, GERMANY - APRIL 06: Marco Reus of Borussia Dortmund and Joshua Kimmich of FC Bayern Muenchen battle for the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena on April 6, 2019 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /

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Juventus’ Matthijs De Ligt is seen during the International Champions Cup football match between Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur in Singapore on July 21, 2019. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images) /

Which players who changed clubs will have a great season?

The summer means players leaving their clubs and signing with new ones. The goal in all of these cases is to do better in an effort to live up to the hype.

In that regard, Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt, who recently signed with Italian powerhouse Juventus, is hoping to have a breakout season in Serie A. He’s coming off a wonderful season, helping Ajax reach the semifinals of the Champions League and winning the Eredivise in the process.

Only 19, De Ligt is a highly-prized center back and one of the best at his position. A budding star, De Ligt is hoping to achieve phenom status by the end of this season. Under manager Maurizio Sarri, De Ligt will get a lesson in what it takes to work hard and achieve results. Expect de Ligt to also get plenty of playing time given Sarri’s penchant for not implementing the turnover and sticking to his regular starters.

It won’t be easy. De Ligt is now part of a potent Juve backline, one of the best in the world, that has seen the return of veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. Alongside another veteran in Giorgio Chiellini, De Ligt will gain valuable experience while also hoping to win some silverware along the way.

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