AI DNA Similarity
Best Alternatives to Matthijs de Ligt
Players most similar to Matthijs de Ligt (Defender, €40.0M) — ranked by AI DNA similarity score across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
Top 3 Alternatives to Matthijs de Ligt
- 1.Virgil van Dijk86% DNA match·Liverpool€18.0M
- 2.Micky van de Ven85% DNA match·Tottenham Hotspur€65.0M
- 3.J. Timber84% DNA match·Arsenal€70.0M
Ranked by AI DNA similarity — 768 dimensions across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit.
RT
Intelligence Verdict
Aerials WonTop 2%
???Bottom 18%
“A Ball-Playing CB....”
See Full Verdict + Share Card →Playing Style Analysis
Ball-Playing CBAerial
A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (5.2 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (88% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (63% duel success) and strong in aerial duels (3.9 aerials won/90). The three most similar players to Matthijs de Ligt by playing style are:
- Virgil van Dijk(86% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as commanding in the air (7.4 clearances/90), meticulous in distribution (89% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (74% duel success), heavily involved in possession (74 passes/90), penetrates with forward passing (11.1 final-third passes/90), central to possession (86 touches/90), dominant in the air (4.5 aerials won/90, 73%) and uses long balls frequently (7.8/90).
- Micky van de Ven(85% match) — A Ball-Playing CB. Statistically, he stands out as naturally left-footed, meticulous in distribution (90% pass accuracy) and wins the physical battle (55% duel success).
- J. Timber(84% match) — A Active Full-Back. Statistically, he stands out as a reliable supplier (0.18 assists/90), active in the tackle (2.4 tackles/90), meticulous in distribution (85% pass accuracy), wins the physical battle (58% duel success) and active off the ball (2.1 press score/90), contributing to defensive transitions.
Transfer Intelligence
Virgil van Dijk delivers 86% of the same playing style, at 55% lower cost (€18.0M vs €40.0M), with 0.61 tackles won per 90 at age 34.
Similarity is calculated using per-90 performance data across multiple playing style dimensions. How Player DNA matching works →
Similar Players — Ranked by DNA Similarity
#1
V
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool · Premier League
Netherlands34yContract 2027
Tkl/900.61
KP/900.31
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↓ Dipvs Ligt: €22M cheaper · 8y older
86% match
€18.0M
#2
M
Micky van de Ven
Tottenham Hotspur · Premier League
Netherlands25yContract 2029
Tkl/901.26
KP/900.19
Ball-Playing CB
Last 5: → Stablevs Ligt: €25M more expensive
85% match
€65.0M
#3
J
J. Timber
Arsenal · Premier League
Netherlands24yContract 2028
Tkl/902.42
KP/900.99
Active Full-Back
Last 5: → Stablevs Ligt: €30M more expensive · 2y younger
84% match
€70.0M
#4
J
Jean-Clair Todibo
West Ham United · Premier League
France26y
Tkl/901.91
KP/900.25
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↓ Dip85% match
€23.0M
#5
S
Sven Botman
Newcastle United · Premier League
Netherlands26yContract 2027
Tkl/901.03
KP/900.43
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable85% match
€35.0M
#6
H
Harry Maguire
Manchester United · Premier League
England33yContract 2026
Tkl/901.22
KP/900.18
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: ↑ Hot84% match
€10.0M
#7
R
Rúben Dias
Manchester City · Premier League
Portugal28yContract 2027
Tkl/900.61
KP/900.26
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↑ Hot83% match
€60.0M
#8
S
Sepp van den Berg
Brentford · Premier League
Netherlands24yContract 2029
Tkl/900.64
KP/900.20
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable83% match
€28.0M
#9
B
Benoît Badiashile
Chelsea · Premier League
France25yContract 2030
Tkl/901.33
KP/900.00
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
84% match
€18.0M
#10
M
Manuel Akanji
Inter · Serie A
Switzerland30yContract 2026
Tkl/901.47
KP/900.20
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: ↓ Dip83% match
€22.0M
#11
W
William Saliba
Arsenal · Premier League
France25yContract 2027
Tkl/901.28
KP/900.36
Ball-Playing CBBall-Playing
Last 5: → Stable83% match
€90.0M
#12
L
Leny Yoro
Manchester United · Premier League
France20yContract 2029
Tkl/901.62
KP/900.21
Ball-Playing CBAerial
Last 5: → Stable84% match
€55.0M
⬡
Ask AI: Why are these players similar?
Our 768-dimension Player DNA model matches playing style, physical profile, pressing intensity, and tactical fit. Ask the AI to explain exactly what makes these players statistically similar to Matthijs de Ligt.
Ask AI about Matthijs de Ligt →Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best alternatives to Matthijs de Ligt?▼
The top alternatives to Matthijs de Ligt based on AI DNA playing style analysis include: Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, J. Timber, Jean-Clair Todibo, Sven Botman. These players were matched using Rising Transfers' 768-dimension DNA model across playing style, pressing intensity, and tactical fit — not just position or market value.
Which players are similar to Matthijs de Ligt in 2026?▼
Players with a similar profile to Matthijs de Ligt in 2026 include Virgil van Dijk (€18.0M), Micky van de Ven (€65.0M), J. Timber (€70.0M). For a deeper DNA-level comparison including playing style, physical attributes, and tactical fit, ask Rising Transfers' AI directly.
What position does Matthijs de Ligt play and who plays similarly?▼
Matthijs de Ligt plays as a Defender. Players with a comparable positional profile include Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, €18.0M); Micky van de Ven (Netherlands, €65.0M); J. Timber (Netherlands, €70.0M); Jean-Clair Todibo (France, €23.0M).
How does Rising Transfers find similar players?▼
Rising Transfers uses a proprietary 768-dimension Player DNA model trained on 3.2 million match events. Each player is represented as a vector across 35+ per-90 metrics including pressing intensity, passing footprint, dribbling profile, and defensive contribution. Similarity is measured using cosine distance — the same technique used in state-of-the-art AI systems — making it the most precise player comparison tool available publicly.