Manchester United has reportedly decided against pursuing Bayern Munich’s centre-back Matthijs de Ligt this summer, according to recent reports in football circles.
Bayern Munich has put de Ligt up for sale as part of their strategy to raise funds for new transfers.
This move comes as Bayern looks to strengthen their defense by activating the €30 million release clause of Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito and targeting Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah. This indicates that improving their defensive line is a primary goal for Bayern this summer.
Bayern’s transfer strategy is not limited to defenders. The club has listed de Ligt and five other prominent players, including Joshua Kimmich and Serge Gnabry, for transfer. This indicates a significant restructuring of the squad under the new management of Vincent Kompany.
De Ligt’s season has been notable. Initially, he was not favored by former coach Thomas Tuchel but gradually secured his place in the starting lineup and demonstrated his talents, particularly after Tuchel’s departure. This has fueled speculation about de Ligt’s future for several months.
While clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United have been linked to de Ligt, it appears Manchester United has withdrawn from the competition.
Despite de Ligt’s previous successful tenure under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, Manchester United’s decision is primarily influenced by financial limitations.
Ben Jacobs has highlighted that Manchester United’s hesitation to pursue the 24-year-old defender is due to the high cost associated with his transfer.
Although Bayern Munich is aware they might not recover their initial €67 million investment, they expect to gain a significant return from de Ligt’s market value.
Despite financial backing from INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United is facing a summer transfer window with restricted financial resources.
The high cost required to acquire de Ligt is beyond Manchester United’s current financial capabilities, rendering the transfer unfeasible within their budget constraints.
As Bayern Munich awaits serious offers for de Ligt, Vincent Kompany is expected to hold direct talks with the player after his commitments with Euro 2024.
This anticipated discussion reflects the cautious stance of interested clubs, who are waiting for more clarity on de Ligt’s availability and market value before making any definitive moves in the transfer market.
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