Manchester United Eyeing Matthijs de Ligt

According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United is reportedly considering a move for Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt. This news is no surprise to United fans, who know Erik ten Hag's tendency to sign players he's previously coached at Ajax. Ten Hag's first transfer window saw him bring Antony and Lisandro Martinez from Ajax, followed by Andre Onana the subsequent summer, players who all thrived under Erik ten Hag at the Dutch club.

If the deal for De Ligt materializes, Ten Hag will have the same central defensive partnership that thrived during his Ajax tenure. De Ligt garnered his fair share of fame as a top prospect in Europe after leading Ajax to the Champions League semi-finals and a domestic double at just 19. Despite interest at the time from various clubs, including United, he chose Juventus before changing ship to Bayern Munich in 2022. Now, under recently announced manager Vincent Kompany, De Ligt appears surplus to requirements at the Bavarian giants and has reportedly been transfer-listed.

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Bayern has recently strengthened their defense, adding Hiroki Ito, and are negotiating for Jonathan Tah also. While the price tag for De Ligt's exit is unknown, Manchester United is aware he will cost them significantly less than Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, who is also speculated for a big-money move to Manchester United.

For Manchester United, De Ligt is seen as a realistic target to reinforce their defence, especially after Raphael Varane left as a free agent and both Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez suffered injury issues during the last season. Ten Hag, who saw De Ligt's best form at Ajax, would welcome a reunion. The Dutch defender has been linked with United multiple times, but this is the first under Ten Hag and INEOS's leadership. Reuniting De Ligt with Ten Hag could bolster United's defense significantly. De Ligt is experienced and talented, which makes him a promising addition to the Manchester United backline.

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