- Man United have made acquiring a central defender a priority this summer
- The Red Devils this week rejected a £43m bid for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite
- Listen to It’s all starting! “I wouldn’t touch Nagelsmann with a barge pole!”
Bayern Munich will demand £42m from Manchester United for defender Matthijs de Ligt, according to reports in Germany.
The Red Devils are looking for a new centre-back following the departure of Raphael Varane. Their injury-marred 2023-24 campaign saw them turn to veteran Jonny Evans and even defensive midfielder Casemiro.
United are in the driving seat to land Everton youngster Jarrad Branthwaite and are expected to improve on their initial £43m bid which was rejected by the Toffees this week.
However, the Goodison Park club’s £75m valuation for the 21-year-old could see United walk away from discussions and, according to Sky Germanyturning his attention to De Light.
They report that the Old Trafford outfit have begun internal discussions over a move for the 24-year-old, who is currently on international duty with the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
Bayern Munich and Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt has been linked with a summer move to Manchester United
Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) and company are planning how to strengthen the Man United squad this summer.
The Old Trafford club made a bid of around £43m for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite this week
The German giants are reportedly willing to sell the defender for a fee in the region of €50m (£42m). A sale at that price would represent a loss for the Bavarians, who signed the Dutchman from Ajax for £65.6m just two years ago.
De Light could reunite with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford after it was confirmed the manager would stay at United following weeks of speculation over his job.
De Light has not fared particularly well at the Allianz Arena since leaving for Germany, with his most recent campaign hampered by injuries and loss of form. He only started 16 Bundesliga games and Bayern failed to win a trophy for the first time in 12 years.
He ruled out talking about his future when asked this week and insisted his focus was on the national team.
“I have already said that this is not the time to think about that.” He said. “Now we are playing the European Championship and that is very important for me and for the national team. That is why I cannot say now what I think about this situation.
“But what I can say is that I have already played my second season at Bayern and I am very happy.” “For now I’m focused on the euros and then we’ll see what happens.”
The Netherlands begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Poland in Hamburg on Sunday afternoon. Ronald Koeman’s team will take on France before facing Austria in their final Group D match on June 25.
Likeable centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo is another defender who has been linked with a move to the club this summer.
Elsewhere, Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice, the other club owned by INEOS, remains an option as another centre-back signing this summer.
Their transfer budget will depend on expenses, and several players, including Mason Greenwood, will leave the club.