Man Utd transfers: Unhappy Ten Hag targets £69m Bundesliga centre-back to fix glaring problem; player keen on move

Matthijs De Ligt, a defender for Bayern Munich, is apparently being watched by Manchester United, who may make a sizable offer for the Netherlands centre back.

Erik ten Hag, the manager of the Red Devils, is reportedly still not happy with his defensive group and is looking to enhance the position significantly by adding his compatriot and cutting Harry Maguire.

De Ligt joined the Bundesliga powerhouses in July 2022 for an initial €67 million, and he now has a deal with Bayern that runs until the summer of 2027.

Having played for United under the manager when he was in charge at Ajax, he has already collaborated with Ten Hag; nonetheless, Barcelona is anticipated to compete with Old Trafford for his services.

Turkey-sourced reports indicate that De Ligt might fetch up to €80 million (£69 million), which would still be £11 million less than what United paid for Maguire.

When working with Ten Hag, the 24-year-old was considered a world-class prospect, but he has since struggled at Juventus and subsequently in Germany.

However, the story claims that he is hopeful that a reunion with his former boss will help him launch his career and provide him some momentum leading up to the 2024 European Championship.

For United, the only trustworthy centre backs are Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez; Maguire isn’t really a factor at all, and Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans are merely adequate backups.

Regarding De Ligt, he is now ranked lower in the Bayern center-back hierarchy under Thomas Tuchel than Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano.

Dutch centre back thinking about moving to United

De Ligt would undoubtedly be viewed as an improvement over players like Lindelof and Evans, and given his physical attributes, he would most likely be a better match for the Premier League than Martinez, who is little and frequently injured.

It is yet to be seen if United would spend £69 million on a new centre defender, considering how Maguire’s acquisition has ended up being a bit of a catastrophe.

Barcelona is another potential threat, considering their history of signing Dutch players over several decades. With their persistent financial problems, the main question facing the Catalan giants is whether they can afford their player.

In search of a victory that will lift their spirits, United will be back in action on Tuesday night when they play Galatasaray in the Champions League.