The centre-back made 42 appearances in his debut season at the club, having joined from Bayern Munich in August 2024.
Particularly strong form in March and April earned respect from fans, before Matthijs suffered an unfortunate injury, which disrupted his end to the season.
Speaking with United Review while on tour in the USA, De Ligt outlined his intention to show more in a red shirt in 2025/26.
“I feel there’s still a lot more to come,” he said.
“Sometimes me and other football fans forget I’m still 25, and as a centre-back you’re normally in your prime at 28 or 29, so in that way, I’m still quite young.