Manchester United and Barcelona have been linked with a move for the Bayern Munich defender Matthijs De Ligt.
A report from Fichajes claims that the Red Devils are currently leading the race to sign the 24-year-old Bundesliga defender along with the Spanish club.
It will be interesting to see where the Dutch international ends up eventually. De Ligt is regarded as one of the finest young defenders in European football and he could prove to be a quality acquisition for both clubs.
Manchester United need to bring in defensive reinforcements, especially with Harry Maguire linked with an exit. De Ligt could be the ideal replacement for the England international.
He is still quite young and he is likely to improve further with coaching and experience. The defender has played under Erik ten Hag during his time at Ajax and the reunion with his former manager could prove to be an added incentive for the player. He knows the Dutch manager’s philosophy and system well and he should be able to settle in quickly and make an immediate impact.
Manchester united have looked vulnerable defensively this season and they will need to tighten up at the back in order to finish high up the table and compete for major trophies. Signing the Bayern Munich defender would represent an excellent investment from them.
Meanwhile, Barcelona need to bring in defensive reinforcements as well. The 24-year-old could prove to be a quality acquisition for the Spanish club and his quality on the ball makes him a good fit for their style of play.
Barcelona have conceded 29 goals in 22 league games this season and they are clearly fragile defensively. They will need to improve in that department if they want to win the league title and compete for the Champions League trophy.
Signing a quality defender like De Ligt could help them improve immensely. The Dutch international could form a quality partnership with Ronald Araujo at the heart of their defence.
The defender is unlikely to be a cheap acquisition and it will be interesting to see if Manchester United and Barcelona are prepared to break the bank for him.
