- Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to join Man United for £55.8m
- The pair have completed their medicals and could play against Fulham next week.
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Manchester United hope Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will be available to face Fulham on Friday after completing their medicals.
The pair will join from Bayern Munich for £55.8million and were pictured enjoying dinner in Manchester on Monday night after flying in from Germany earlier in the day.
The duo were spotted leaving the exclusive Sexy Fish restaurant on Deansgate, with De Ligt leaving the restaurant holding hands with his wife Annekee Molenaar, a model and daughter of former Dutch footballer Keje Molenaar.
Several fans also gathered outside the Asian restaurant to take pictures with the club’s new signings, who had been pictured arriving at Munich airport earlier in the day before flying to Manchester.
Sexy Fish serves a variety of culinary delicacies, from oysters to Waygu beef. Several other professional footballers, including Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, have frequented the restaurant over the years. Grealish also received a parking ticket after he and his girlfriend Sasha Attwood went to the restaurant for dinner in 2023.
Matthijs de Ligt (left) and Noussair Mazraoui (right) were pictured leaving Sexy Fish restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday night.
De Ligt was also seen holding hands with his wife as the couple left the luxury restaurant on Deansgate.
The defenders also took photos and signed autographs with several fans outside the restaurant.
Dutch international De Ligt has been a key target for Erik ten Hag during the transfer window.
United have been on the lookout for new defenders this summer, having suffered a number of injuries to key players last season. Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and the now-departed Raphael Varane have all been sidelined at times during the 2023-24 campaign, leaving Ten Hag with a number of selection headaches.
De Ligt, 25, a graduate of Ajax’s illustrious academy, joined Juventus from the Eredivisie side in 2019. He would go on to help the Italian side win Serie A during the 2019-20 season, having made 117 appearances in all competitions for the club.
He would later join Bayern Munich in 2022, before being chosen as part of Ronald Koeman’s squad for Euro 2024, despite not taking part in the tournament.
Mazraoui, 26, also came through the Ajax academy and made his Eredivisie debut in 2018. He would go on to join Bayern Munich in 2022 before making 55 appearances for the club and winning the Bundesliga title in 2023.
United will be eager to avenge their FA Community Shield defeat against rivals Manchester City on Saturday as they look to kick off their Premier League campaign at Old Trafford on Friday night.
De Ligt (pictured) and Mazraoui arrived at Munich Airport on Monday morning before completing their moves to Manchester United in a blockbuster double transfer for £55.8m.
Maraoui will join United on a deal worth an initial £13m, with a potential £4m in add-ons.
The two defenders played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and will transform United’s defence.
De Ligt, 25, was part of the Dutch squad for Euro 2024 but did not feature in Germany.
Mazraoui is a right-back but can also play at left-back, which will be a big boost for United.
Meanwhile, Ten Hag is also looking to bring in a new midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window amid speculation that Scott McTominay could leave the club. Fulham have already submitted an initial offer for the Scottish midfielder, which United have rejected.
Burnley midfielder Sander Berge was left out of the squad at Luton last night following enquiries from United, who remain interested in PSG’s Manuel Ugarte, despite earlier reports suggesting the Red Devils were unwilling to meet the £51million asking price for the Argentine.
