Manchester United’s summer transfer window is expected to hot up from now onwards as the Reds enter a new financial year.
United managed to stay within Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) last month but that does not mean Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be complacent regarding the money spent on transfers. Ineos will be aiming to find bargains in the transfer market and one name who could feature in that plan is Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt.According to reports in Germany, De Ligt’s camp has received communication from United regarding a transfer. Sky Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg adding that the Reds are now in contact with Bayern regarding a deal.
Jack Flintham
The switch towards De Ligt as a target this summer shows that United are learning their lessons from years gone by. Instead of being embroiled in a back-and-forth with Everton over Jarrad Branthwaite’s valuation, the Reds are moving on and seeing what else is out there.
The Toffees are well within their rights to value Branthwaite at £70m+ but if United have already drawn their line in the sand there is no point sitting around hoping that Everton change their mind. De Ligt has the potential to be a solid bit of business if done at the right price.
Ratcliffe will be wary United still need to add a midfielder and striker to their ranks this summer and De Ligt does still constitute a risk. He has not been at the level he was at with Ajax since joining Bayern and the Reds’ offer should reflect this.
But, if anyone is going to get the best out of De Ligt again it will be Ten Hag. Vincent Kompany may end up wishing he never sold him.
Tyrone Marshall
Juventus thought they had a good deal when they signed De Ligt for €75m. Bayern Munich thought they’d got a steal when they spent €67m to sign him three years later. Now, here we are, two years further down the line and United are being tempted by a €50m asking price. There’s a pattern emerging here.
You can understand the temptation to sign De Ligt. On the evidence of his Ajax potential that fee looks a steal but he’s struggled in Turin and Munich and is now fourth-choice centre-back for the Netherlands. Micky van de Ven has come on ahead of him in two of the three group games and De Ligt is yet to play a minute.
Maybe rekindling that relationship with Ten Hag will get the best out of him once again, but that is exactly what Ineos said they weren’t going to do. Having a manager dictating transfer strategy just isn’t a plan for long-term success. If the next manager doesn’t want De Ligt then you’ve got problems.
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