United Close to Signing De Ligt, Branthwaite Bid Rejected

Manchester United have reached a verbal agreement on personal terms with Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt.

According to Manchester evening news, Bayern want £42million for the 24-year-old and United are optimistic of concluding a deal for Netherlands international De Ligt.

United aim to sign two central defenders and had their second offer of £45m, potentially increasing to £50m, rejected for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Everton values Branthwaite between £70m and £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, who previously played under United manager Erik ten Hag at Ajax, transferred to Juventus in 2019 for £68m.

Currently, the United squad includes five former Ajax players, with four of them joining after Ten Hag’s appointment in May 2022.

United scouted De Ligt during his teenage years at Ajax, but the club, under then head of youth recruitment Derek Langley, ultimately decided against signing the Dutchman.

De Ligt is in the Netherlands squad at the European Championship but has not played in any of their five matches in Germany.

United dealt with Bayern over the 11th-hour loan deal for Marcel Sabitzer in January last year. They have not bought a player from Bayern since Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2015.