Bayern Munich and Manchester United have been locked in negotiations over Matthijs de Ligt for over a month, but any kind of deal is yet to come to fruition.
The centre-half is said to be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, not only because it would see him reunite with Erik ten Hag but also because he featured sporadically at Bayern across the 2023/2024 campaign.
Now, both clubs have suffered significant setbacks, which may make them more inclined to hash out an agreement sooner rather than later.
The Germans’ new signing Hiroki Ito broke his foot in a pre-season clash and will be sidelined for an extended period. As a result, Bayern are targeting a direct replacement to fill his void, with Jonathan Tah mooted as their first-choice option.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag’s newest recruit, Leny Yoro, limped off with a muscle injury during the Reds’ defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. He has since been spotted wearing a protective boot on his left foot and using crutches, although the club has not yet confirmed the severity of his issue.
INEOS chiefs were already targeting another centre-back before Yoro’s injury, but it’s expected they will accelerate their efforts before deadline day to ensure the manager has ample coverage in the already-depleted position.
Why Bayern will be keen to sanction De Ligt’s exit
Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg claims that Bayern’s pursuit of Tah hinges almost entirely on whether De Ligt leaves. They value the Dutchman in the region of £42 million – a price that United have been reluctant to meet.
However, their inevitable need for Tah could force the board’s hand into accepting a reduced proposal.
