July 7th 2024.
Manchester United is making a strong effort to secure the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich. According to reports, Erik ten Hag, the manager of Bayern, has spoken to de Ligt and expressed his plans to play him alongside Lisandro Martinez for Manchester United. This comes as United is in search of at least one new centre-back in the upcoming summer transfer window and has already held discussions with Bayern regarding a potential deal for de Ligt.
Sources reveal that de Ligt is open to joining United and reuniting with his former manager, ten Hag, with whom he worked for over a season at Ajax. It is reported that ten Hag has discussed with de Ligt his vision for the Premier League campaign and sees him as the ideal partner for Martinez at the heart of United's defence. He also plans to use a 4-3-3 formation with de Ligt and Martinez as the central defenders.
Additionally, reports suggest that ten Hag's plans could push Harry Maguire further down the pecking order at United. The club may even consider selling the 31-year-old, who was signed in a record-breaking £80 million deal from Leicester City in 2019. This could make way for de Ligt to become the first-choice centre-back at United.
The Red Devils are confident about reaching an agreement with Bayern over a transfer fee for de Ligt, who is currently with the Netherlands national team preparing for their Euro 2024 semi-final against England. Bayern is holding out for a fee of €50 million for the 24-year-old, who only started 16 games in the Bundesliga last season.
When asked about his future at Bayern, de Ligt stated that he is fully focused on the Euros and cannot think about his situation at the club at the moment. However, he did mention that he is happy at Bayern and has no complaints. Ten Hag has also praised de Ligt, saying that he is one of the best defenders in Europe and has the potential to become the best in his position.
In conclusion, it seems like Manchester United is determined to secure the signing of Matthijs de Ligt and is confident about reaching an agreement with Bayern. With ten Hag's plans to pair him with Martinez and play him as the first-choice centre-back, it could be a promising move for both de Ligt and United. We will have to wait and see how this transfer saga unfolds in the upcoming weeks.
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