Manchester United have verbally agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Bayern want £42million for the 24-year-old and United are optimistic of concluding a deal for Netherlands international De Ligt.
United want to sign two centre backs and have had a second bid of £45m rising to £50m rejected for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Everton value Branthwaite at between £70m-£80m.
United have released Raphael Varane and want to sell fellow centre half Victor Lindelof as he is out of contract next year. United have an existing relationship with De Ligt’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, who was hosted at the club’s training complex over the last year.
De Ligt played under United manager Erik ten Hag at Ajax before he joined Juventus in a £68m deal in 2019. There are currently five former Ajax players in the United squad and four arrived after Ten Hag’s appointment in May 2022.
United scouted De Ligt when he was a teenager at Ajax and their then head of youth recruitment, Derek Langley, later revealed the club vetoed a move for the Dutchman.
