Manchester United are pushing to sign Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, and according to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, the Red Devils have offered him a contract until 2029.
De Ligt and Erik ten Hag could be working together once again if United get their way. The Dutch duo were both at Ajax together, and the Manchester outfit are now pushing to reunite them in the summer transfer window.
Man Utd Offer Contract to Matthijs De Ligt
According to Dutch news outlet De Telegraaf, United have now offered a five-year deal to Bayern Munich defender de Ligt. It’s understood that ten Hag has had several phone calls with the centre-back as he hopes to convince him to make the move to the Premier League.
Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed that Manchester United have been in contact with the representatives of de Ligt. Things appear to be moving fast according to reports in de Ligt’s home country, and there’s no doubt it would be a smart signing for the Red Devils.
| De Ligt (23/24) vs Varane and Martinez (22/23) – League Stats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistic | De Ligt (23/24) | Varane (22/23) | Martinez (22/23) |
| Minutes | 1,391 | 1,917 | 2,117 |
| Goals/Assists | 2/0 | 0/0 | 1/0 |
| Pass success rate (%) | 94 | 86.5 | 87.3 |
| Aerials won per game | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| Tackles per game | 0.7 | 1 | 2 |
| Interceptions per game | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.2 |
| Overall rating | 6.68 | 6.64 | 6.84 |
De Ligt is comfortable playing from the back and has likely done so since his academy days. All through the Ajax age groups the young players are brought up to play possession-based football, and since starting his senior career, de Ligt has played for sides who like to play a similar style.
It’s no surprise that United are pushing to sign a new defender in the summer transfer window. Casemiro has regularly played in a centre-back role under ten Hag while Raphael Varane has also left the club. Jonny Evans was brought in as emergency cover, but the experienced defender played a lot of football last season.
Man Utd Have Two Alternative Options
Securing the signature of de Ligt is no guarantee, so United will need a list of targets in case a deal falls through. Bayern Munich will likely demand a hefty fee to allow him to depart, and personal terms need to be solved with the Dutch defender.
According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Lille’s Leny Yoro are also options for the Red Devils. United are likely to face competition for all three defenders, but it’s clear to see that de Ligt is one of ten Hag’s priority targets, with a centre-back likely high on their shortlist.
