Manchester United sign Matthijs de Ligt in £43m Erik ten Hag reunion

Manchester United have announced the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.

The Dutch centre-back signs a five-year contract and arrives for a fee of £43million, £4.3m of which is subject to bonus clauses, as the Red Devils add much-needed strength to their backline.

Leny Yoro has already arrived this summer, albeit before getting injured, to reinforce a key area of the pitch for Erik ten Hag after a plethora of injury and form issues last season.

“As soon as I heard that Man United wanted me, I felt an excitement about the opportunity for a new challenge at such a historic club,” said the defender.

“Erik ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career, so he knows how to get the best out of me”.

“I know what it takes to succeed at the highest level.”

De Ligt joins Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui in moving to Old Trafford this summer. Former Bayern right-back Mazraoui will cost £17.2m in a deal which has allowed Aaron Wan-Bissaka to leave for West Ham.

Ten Hag brought De Ligt through at Ajax, where they won the 2019 Eredivisie together. He then left for Juventus and won a Serie A title in three seasons before a switch to Bayern to win the 2023 Bundesliga crown.