Manchester United are set to accelerate their interest in Ajax star Matthis de Ligt after the Dutchman revealed he is set to decide his future club dependent on his potential to develop as a player, according to reports in The Express.
De Ligt, 19, has captained Ajax to their 34th league title alongside leading the club to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19, where the Erevidise outfit fell fractionally short to Tottenham’s remarkable second-half comeback at the Johan Cruff Arena.
His performances have attracted the interest of Europe’s elite clubs, including the likes of Barcelona, but Manchester United’s lack of world-class talent at centre-half has led Ed Woodward, Manchester United’s CEO, to consider pursuing alternative options to fill the perceived lack of talent in United’s backline.
A move for de Ligt would unquestionably prove costly, reported to be in the realms of £350k p/week alongside a £70m transfer fee, yet the disastrous performances of United’s defensive outfit in the previous campaign has led to calls for a revamped, rejuvenated backline that is capable of challenging for both the Premier League title and European accolades on the continent.
United’s current first-choice centre-back pairing, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, have been present at Old Trafford since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson at the end of the 2012/13 season, and despite the arrivals of Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly in Manchester, the Red Devils have seemed simply incapable of finding a blended balance of experience and talent at the centre of their defensive unit.
The potential transfer of de Ligt potentially holds an added dimension of complication owing to the player’s agent; Mino Raiola.
Raiola has built a reputation as a fierce negotiator with an eye for lucrative contracts, boasting a plethora of star names across the continent within his client list.
And with two of Europe’s biggest clubs eyeing his client’s signature, this transfer saga could be determined by the club who offers the biggest wages as opposed to the best proposition for de Ligt.
This is a pivotal season in Manchester United’s development in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, and with Ole Gunnar Soljskaer having received the backing of United’s hierarchy, the Glazer’s and Woodward must back their manager.
De Ligt has the potential to transform United’s defensive frailties, but with the combination of a determined agent, interest from across Europe and instability at Old Trafford, this may well be a saga that runs deep into August as Barcelona and United’s interest intensifies.
