According to German outlet Bild, Manchester United are prepared to play the waiting game to sign Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt for a discount.
The Red Devils recently suffered a huge setback with Leny Yoro picking up a foot injury. He has undergone a surgery for the same and Man United have confirmed that he won’t return to action for 3 months. This could urge the United hierarchy to sign another central defender and Bild claim that the club are currently waiting for time in order to sign de Ligt for a reduced fee from Bayern.
Bayern are interested in securing the services of Bayer Leverkusen star Jonathan Tah but the transfer is dependent on de Ligt’s exit. Bild report that Leverkusen have not received a response for 6 weeks and they won’t wait forever and need a definitive answer soon. United are hoping to capitalise on the same by signing de Ligt for a discounted transfer fee later this month.
Matter of time
United have been searching for a second centre-back for the past few weeks and it has now become essential with Yoro in the treatment room. De Ligt is the no.1 target for the Red Devils and the club should be optimistic of signing him for less than the £43 million price tag set by Bayern.
De Ligt, who has won 3 league titles in his career with Ajax, Juventus and Bayern, appears a natural replacement for Yoro. He is strong with the ball at his feet and was one of the best distributors in the German top-flight last season. The Dutchman is also good with his concentration and has a presence in the box.
The 24-year-old has the opportunity to secure regular playing time with the Red Devils after the untimely setback for Yoro. In the long-term, the duo could be rotated in the right central defensive position by manager Erik ten Hag. They could also play together with de Ligt comfortable playing from the left side of central defence too.
United are likely to play the waiting game for de Ligt as they are aware of Bayern’s interest in Tah. The German giants could be compelled to lower the asking price. De Ligt has no desire to entertain offers from any other club than United.
