Manchester United have reached an agreement on personal terms with their top transfer target, Matthijs de Ligt, as negotiations with Bayern Munich for the center-back progress.
Bayern Munich has set a £42 million price tag for the 24-year-old Dutch international, and United is confident that a deal will be finalized.
De Ligt, who has yet to play for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, is eager to reunite with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.
Sources at Mirror Football confirm that Ten Hag and De Ligt have held direct discussions, with the United manager working hard to persuade the defender.
Ten Hag outlined his vision for the club, which remains positive despite a challenging season that ended with an FA Cup victory.
Last week, key figures at Old Trafford, including part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, activated a one-year extension clause in Ten Hag’s contract, securing his role until 2026.
Ten Hag views De Ligt as a cornerstone for United’s defense, having previously coached him to the Champions League semi-finals with Ajax when De Ligt was just 19.
Bayern Munich is willing to let De Ligt go if their valuation is met, and the player is focused solely on joining Manchester United.
Bayern’s new manager, Vincent Kompany, is close to signing Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah as De Ligt’s replacement, following a disappointing season under Thomas Tuchel.
United plans to bolster their defense by signing two center-backs before the transfer window closes on August 30.
The club has already seen two bids for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite rejected, the latest being £50 million. Additionally, they are reportedly negotiating with Lille for 18-year-old Leny Yoro, although Yoro is rumored to prefer a move to Real Madrid, with Liverpool and PSG also interested.
Following the expiration of Raphael Varane’s contract, United is in discussions to extend veteran Jonny Evans’ stay on a short-term basis. Currently, only Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, and Willy Kambwala are under contract. Maguire and Lindelof might be sold to raise funds.
United is leveraging their existing relationship with De Ligt’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, to finalize the deal.
Ten Hag’s squad returned to Carrington for pre-season training on Monday, ready to prepare for the upcoming season.
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