Manchester United could be on the verge of another major signing as Matthijs de Ligt, the £50m-rated ($63.5m) defender likened to Cristiano Ronaldo, has expressed his desire to join the Red Devils immediately.
According to Football Insider , de Ligt has informed friends that he wants to move to Manchester United as soon as possible.
The Dutch defender is keen to reunite with Erik ten Hag, who managed him at Ajax, and talks between United and Bayern Munich are ongoing for a transfer worth up to £50 million ($63.5m).
This news comes as United are deep into their first transfer window under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The club has already spent heavily on Joshua Zirkzee and centre-back Leny Yoro, but injuries and the need for more reinforcements have pushed them to seek additional signings.
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Bayern’s moves could pave the way for De Ligt
Bayern Munich’s recent agreement to sign Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen could facilitate de Ligt’s transfer to Manchester.
De Ligt is eager to take the next step in his career at Old Trafford, where he could join an already strong defensive lineup featuring Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans, and Yoro, who is currently recovering from a serious foot injury.
Sporting director Dan Ashworth is reportedly working on securing deals for Bayern’s Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt, with Mazraoui’s potential arrival allowing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to leave the club.
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A mentality like Ronaldo’s
De Ligt’s determination and mentality have drawn comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo, especially from former Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar. "He wants to be the best defender in the world," Van der Sar said.
"His mentality and hunger are similar to Cristiano Ronaldo’s. When I played at Man United with Ronaldo, he had the same desire and attitude to work hard and improve every day."
Should the deal go through, de Ligt would bring experience and a winning mentality to United, having made more appearances under Ten Hag than any other manager in his career so far.
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