It is an open secret that Manchester United are aiming to strengthen their defence this summer after an injury-ravaged campaign last season.

The likes of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane were on the fringes for most of the season as Erik ten Hag bemoaned a lack of continuity contributing to bad results.

Understandably, the first concrete link to a player this summer arrived in the form of Jarrad Branthwaite, for whom United had a bid of £43 million with add-ons rejected.

Now, they could be on the verge of sealing an upgrade in that position with another, more high-profile name…

Man United close to agreement with Matthijs De Ligt

Mike Verweij of De Telegraaf reports that United have offered a five-year deal to Bayern Munich’s Matthijs De Ligt.

The club is in contact with the player and it is reported that there’s confidence an agreement can be reached soon on personal terms.

Then, the next hurdle would be agreeing a fee with Bayern and since the Bavarians have been pretty open to letting the Dutchman go, United might feel they can get their man.

De Ligt knows Ten Hag well, with the manager often credited with handling his emergence at Ajax expertly, famously making him the captain of the team when he was just 18.

The Dutchman has won league titles three times in his career, once with Ajax, once with Juventus and once with Bayern Munich.

He has already talked to the defender multiple times, as per the report while it has already been mentioned that the player doesn’t mind joining United despite there being no Champions League football next season.

He joined Bayern in 2022 for a reported fee of around £68 million and has forever been linked to United on various occasions ever since the first rumours of him moving from Ajax emerged.

United feels like a natural destination, but the deal has asterisks

If United manage to get De Ligt for less than what Everton are demanding for Jarrad Branthwaite, then the deal looks like a no-brainer for the club.

The Dutchman is far more accomplished and proven at the top level than his English counterpart and his familiarity with Ten Hag adds to the confidence.

Unlike previous Ten Hag signings from his past, De Ligt is a natural fit at United and in the Premier League due to his imposing frame, physicality, and passing repertoire.

With United needing a central defender on priority, an opportunistic deal for De Ligt makes sense but it has a few asterisks attached.

Firstly, the player reportedly earns upwards of £250k/week, which, after Varane’s departure, would put him in the top five earners at the club.

The club has made a concerted effort under Ineos to trim down the wage bill and target younger, upcoming players who can grow together.

A marquee signing like De Ligt can get the pulses racing but huge wage demands could saddle the club with a financial burden for years if he disappoints, which is where the second asterisk comes in.

Last season, De Ligt missed 20 games through four different injuries which kept him out for nearly three months.

For a United side that is aiming to strengthen precisely due to a lack of depth owing to injuries, De Ligt’s injury history makes him a questionable option.

Bayern dominate games in possession and the intensity of defending De Ligt has to keep up with in Bavaria is arguably far less than what awaits him at Old Trafford.

Furthermore, if he makes the move, United would be his third club in five years, excluding Ajax which he left in 2019 to join Juventus.

De Ligt hasn’t been an unqualified success at either club and changing teams so often raises question marks over his suitability of being the centrepiece of a great defence.

United need consistency right now more than anything else and the Dutchman hasn’t shown anything to prove that he can be the rock around which United can build their defence for the next five years.

However, ultimately, the player quality and the potential for a more palatable transfer fee might swing this deal in United’s favour because if De Ligt truly reaches his peak at Old Trafford, then it would look like a steal.

Related Topics