Two reports give Man Utd hope of signing £68m Ten Hag favourite amid ‘tense’ relationship with manager

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Manchester United reportedly want Matthijs de Ligt and a couple of reports will give some encouragement over a move for the Bayern Munich defender.

We know that Erik ten Hag loves to sign players he knows from his time at Ajax.

Andre Onana, Lisandro Martinez and Antony all fit into that category whilst United fans need no reminder of the Frenkie de Jong saga.

Add in links to Nicolas Tagliafico last summer and you would be forgiven for thinking that Ten Hag is trying to put his 2019 Ajax side back together.

Another player from that side is now being linked, but we can get a little more excited about this one…

Manchester United want Matthijs de Ligt amid Thomas Tuchel tension

Reports in Germany just a few days ago indicated that United are a possible destination for Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt.

Fans will remember De Ligt’s rise under Ten Hag at Ajax but his career has been a little up and down since then, experiencing highs and lows at Juventus and now Bayern Munich.

Bayern paid £68million to sign De Ligt in 2022 but he has only managed four Bundesliga starts this season.

Injuries have been a real problem and De Ligt is at a crucial stage of his career at 24; is he going to stick it out at Bayern or move on for the third time since Ajax’s 2019 Champions League semi-final run.

United will be watching closely with Ten Hag understandably a big fan, and German newspaper Bild report that the relationship between De Ligt and Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel is ‘tense’.

De Ligt is down the pecking order even when fit, Bayern have just signed another defender in Eric Dier and want a huge summer move for Barcelona centre back Ronald Araujo.

Tuchel may have tried to shut down the United rumours but De Ligt’s future is clearly uncertain – and a Ten Hag reunion could be just what he needs to settle down and play regularly once again.

Bayern now targeting yet another defender

The second report to give United hope comes from Spain, with SPORT claiming that Bayern want to sign Real Madrid defender Rafa Marin.

Real want to sign Alphonso Davies in the summer and Bayern are now tempted to ask for Marin – currently on loan at Alaves – in exchange.

Marin has played at left back before but is predominantly a centre back and is viewed as a cheaper alternative to Barcelona star Araujo.

With Dier, Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae already on board, Bayern targeting another centre back may mean one leaves – and De Ligt would be the favourite.

We would certainly love to see De Ligt partnering Lisandro Martinez at Old Trafford, representing a potential long-term solution at right centre back.

De Ligt’s injuries are a concern though and United would be wise to monitor his situation closely between now and the summer, before trying to tempt Tuchel into a sale.