According to multiple reports, tomorrow could see Manchester United announce, and/or perhaps even “unveil” their two new signings from Bayern Munich- Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui. This is provided that both players pass their medical evaluations, of course.
That is not expected to be an issue. De Ligt moves over on a deal worth €45m up front, plus a potential €5m in add-ons.
Matthijs de Ligt will be available for Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Fulham, subject to a medical ?
United have agreed a £42.8 million deal with Bayern Munich for the defender, who previously worked with Erik ten Hag at Ajax ? pic.twitter.com/f22cRX07u9
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 11, 2024
With Mazraoui, the fee is €15m in money down plus a prospective €5m more in incentive-based pay.
And as you can see from the tweet above, there’s more! United are in the first Premier League fixture for the season, the only one on Friday night this weekend, when they’ll host Fulham FC. The Sky Sports report indicates that De Ligt could be available for the season opener.
That would be huge for United, as the other central defender they acquired, Leny Yoro, is out injured for a couple months. Between Yoro and De Ligt, United have met one of their main goals of the summer transfer window- improving the central defense. And this effectively ends the summer transfer sagas of Jarrad Branthwaite and Manuel Ugarte.
Which is great because neither narrative was going anywhere.
Everton (Branthwaite) and Paris Saint-Germain (Ugarte) both held steady at a price that United was simply not willing to pay.
Both De Ligt and Mazraoui will sign deals that will run for five seasons, with a potential option for a sixth.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.