Manchester United are progressing in their pursuit of Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, according to reports. The 24-year-old Netherlands international, who previously played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, is a key target as United look to strengthen their centre-back options this summer.
De Ligt joined Bayern from Juventus for around £68 million two years ago, and the Bundesliga club are said to be willing to sell for the right price. The player has earned high praise from his international teammates, with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk calling him an 'excellent defender' and Manchester City's Nathan Ake comparing him to Van Dijk, citing his speed, strength, and aerial ability.
If the deal goes through, it could worry Premier League rivals. Van Dijk and Ake are well aware of De Ligt's quality, having played alongside him for the Netherlands. De Ligt has yet to feature at Euro 2024, with Ronald Koeman preferring Van Dijk and Stefan de Vrij in central defence, but he remains highly regarded in European football.
United are also reportedly interested in Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee, and Jarrad Branthwaite as part of a wider summer overhaul overseen by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
