Confirmation that Erik ten Hag will be continuing his duties as Manchester United head coach has led to certain appreciated targets rising on the club’s shortlist in recent weeks.
One such name the Red Devils are said to admire is Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, sources close to CaughtOffside have confirmed. United know they need defensive reinforcements – even if only to account for Raphael Varane’s departure – and are aware that the German outfit considers him a sellable quantity.
The two clubs, via intermediaries, have displayed a mutual interest in opening negotiations, though direct contact has yet to take place.
Will next steps take place soon?
Manchester United have planned some concrete moves in the market.
Ten Hag’s side has informed De Ligt’s entourage that they have prepared a five-year contract which will be presented to the Netherlands star at the end of the 2024 European Championship.
The former Ajax footballer (standing at 6’2 tall) is understood to really appreciate Ten Hag and has expressed a willingness to work with his former coach again. As things stand, personal terms should not be a concern for United.
Manchester United, for their part, are planning to approach Bayern over the transfer in the next few days to negotiate a suitable price.
Sources close to the Premier League club say United are confident they can reach an agreement for an amount much lower than the price tag (around €70m [£59.4m]) set by the Bavarian giants.
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