Erik ten Hag has publicly addressed Manchester United’s interest in Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, who could become their third summer acquisition.
Ten Hag has confirmed that negotiations are ongoing for De Ligt but emphasized that he is not solely driving this transfer decision.
On Thursday, United finalized the signing of Leny Yoro from Lille for an initial £52 million, yet they remain interested in acquiring another centre-back. With Raphael Varane’s contract expiring and Willy Kambwala’s transfer to Villarreal, there is also speculation about Victor Lindelof’s potential sale.
Having worked with De Ligt at Ajax before his move to Bayern Munich, Ten Hag noted that if De Ligt joins United, he would be following in the footsteps of other Ajax alumni at the club, including Lisandro Martinez, Antony, and Andre Onana. The 24-year-old defender is eager to leave Bayern and join United’s increasingly Dutch contingent, which also includes £36 million striker Joshua Zirkzee and new coaches Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rene Hake, and Jelle ten Rouwelaar.
Despite appearances, Ten Hag insists that each new signing, including De Ligt, is decided collaboratively with the club’s revamped recruitment team under owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
“We still have to wait and see whether De Ligt will come,” Ten Hag told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. “The fact that there are Dutch players among the new arrivals is just a coincidence. These players were selected by our organization, and while I support the decisions, we make them together.”
Ten Hag acknowledged that his involvement in transfers is perceived to be significant but clarified that the primary criteria for new signings are the player’s quality, character, and fit for the team, not his personal preferences.
