Manchester United have reached out to the representatives of Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt regarding a summer deal.
According to The Bild’s Christian Falk on Twitter, Premier League giants Manchester United have made an overture to the representatives of Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt regarding a summer deal.
The Dutchman is one of the best young defenders in Europe and appears unsettled in Turin. He has attracted attention from Chelsea and Bayern Munich, with the latter appearing to be in the driving seat. The 22-year-old would be an upgrade over Niklas Sule, who departed the Allianz Arena for Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester United are also in the market for a new centre-back and have also been linked to Ajax Amsterdam star Lisandro Martinez. While the Argentine is a solid option, de Ligt would be an upgrade on him. The Dutchman, despite his age, is already an experienced player and could become a mainstay in the Red Devils’ defence for years to come.
Several centre-backs have made the move to Old Trafford in the last few years with little success. Harry Maguire has been exposed time and again by the opposition in the past while Raphael Varane has struggled with form and injuries.
TRUE✅ Also @ManUtd is interested in Matthijs de Ligt (22) and contacted his management. The agents let United know that at the moment they just talk with Bayern. De Ligt wants to see if Munich find an agreement with @juventusfc
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) July 7, 2022
Victor Lindelof has his moments but remains inconsistent, while Eric Bailly is the forgotten man at the Theatre of Dreams. Phil Jones is still at the club but is far from a reliable option.
De Ligt could more or less walk straight into Erik ten Hag’s starting XI and would be a major asset. The Manchester United boss is also well acquainted with the 22-year-old having previously managed him at Ajax. The chances of a reunion occurring are remote, given that the player has his attention set on moving to Bayern.
The ball is now in Bayern’s court, and it remains to be seen if they will seize the initiative. With Chelsea also waiting to pounce, Manchester United are unlikely to have a free run at the defender even if Die Roten back out.
Given de Ligt’s comments on the lack of ambition shown at Juventus, it will come as a surprise if he does indeed move to Old Trafford. The Red Devils do not have UEFA Champions League to look forward to, and a move to the Theatre of Dreams at this moment in time would be a backwards step.
