Bayern ‘couldn’t do like Chelsea with 45 players’ as Kompany blasts ‘stupid’ De Ligt, Man Utd report

Bayern Munich director Max Eberl has justified selling Matthijs de Ligt to Manchester United by saying “you can’t do like Chelsea and go into the season with 45 players”.

Man Utd completed the signing of De Ligt last week, bringing him in alongside Noussair Mazraoui, who also left Vincent Kompany’s side.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been active during his first transfer window in control, adding Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro followed by Mazraoui and De Ligt.

The Red Devils are not done in the transfer market and are looking to bring in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte , although the deal has to be right as they balance tight profit and sustainability rules.

Asked about the potential for new faces before the August 30 deadline, Erik ten Hag told reporters: “Just be patient, just sit, wait.

“We’re working of course very hard, and we will always try to make the best squad possible.

“We have a couple of days. The approach will always be improve, so as long as we have the opportunity we will look for it. But, nah, in this moment I, of course, can’t tell any news.”

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De Ligt burst onto the scene under Ten Hag at Ajax but has failed to live up to expectations since securing a big-money switch to Juventus in 2019.

The Italian giants sold the 25-year-old to Bayern after three seasons and the player again underwhelmed, falling behind former Tottenham defender Eric Dier in the pecking order.

Discussing the sale of De Ligt on Saturday morning, Bayern director Eberl insisted he “wanted a left-footed defender” and decided to replace the Dutchman with Hiroki Ito, leaving the club with little choice but to sell.

“I understand that there are fan favourites, but we don’t make decisions based on fan favourites,” Eberl said. “We spoke to Vincent and made decisions regarding the squad.

“Of course we know how Matthijs performed, and we wouldn’t talk bad about him. But we made decisions regarding the defense, we wanted a left-footed defender, that’s why we signed Hiroki.

“We spent money on [Michael] Olise, [Joao] Palhinha and Hiroki. So as a club you have to generate money. You can’t do like Chelsea and go into the season with 45 players.

“We spoke clearly to the player and made the decision, and that’s how it was”

New Bayern head coach Kompany was asked about reports of De Ligt being his number-one centre-back at the club, claiming that such a claim “makes no sense”.

“I’ve definitely not said that,” the former Burnley boss responded. “It would’ve been so stupid of me to say something like that – it wouldn’t fit with what we’ve planned for the entire squad, the competition and having two players for each position.

“And then say something like that to a player that you know is probably leaving? It makes no sense.”

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