Manchester United has officially completed the signings of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich for a combined fee of approximately £60 million ($77 million, 70 million euros). De Ligt, a 25-year-old Dutch center-back, has signed a five-year contract until June 2029 with an option for an additional year. Mazraoui, a 26-year-old Moroccan right-back, has agreed to a four-year deal until June 2028, also with an option for an extra year.Both players expressed enthusiasm about reuniting with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, under whom they previously played at Ajax. De Ligt stated, ‘Erik ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career, so he knows how to get the best out of me, and I’m looking forward to working with him again’. Mazraoui echoed this sentiment, saying, ‘Erik ten Hag played a significant role in my development as a player, so it’s motivating to meet him again as I enter the early stages of my career’.The signings address key defensive needs for United, with De Ligt potentially replacing the departed Raphael Varane and Mazraoui providing versatility in the full-back positions. Notably, Mazraoui could be called upon to play left-back in the upcoming match against Fulham due to Luke Shaw’s injury.These transfers mark significant changes for both clubs. For Bayern Munich, it represents a considerable financial loss on De Ligt, who they signed from Juventus for 70 million euros just two years ago. For Manchester United, it completes a defensive overhaul that began with the signing of 18-year-old Leny Yoro from Lille for 62 million euros and now includes the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham.The new signings are expected to make their debuts when Manchester United face Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday night, as the team looks to improve on their eighth-place finish in the Premier League last season.
Key points
- Manchester United has signed Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich for a combined £60 million.
- Both players cited their relationship with manager Erik ten Hag as a key factor in joining United.
- The signings complete United’s defensive restructuring, which included selling Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham.
- De Ligt and Mazraoui are expected to debut against Fulham on Friday.
Contradictions👾There is a slight discrepancy in the reported transfer fees.
While most sources cite a combined fee of around £60 million or 70 million euros, some reports break it down differently, with De Ligt costing 45 million euros and Mazraoui 15 million euros, while others suggest Mazraoui’s fee was 17.
5 million euros.
