Matthijs de Ligt agrees personal terms with Manchester United

Manchester United have verbally agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt.

Bayern want £42million for the 24-year-old and United are optimistic of concluding a deal for Netherlands international De Ligt.

United want to sign two centre backs and have had a second bid of £45m rising to £50m rejected for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Everton value Branthwaite at between £70m-£80m.

United have released Raphael Varane and want to sell fellow centre half Victor Lindelof as he is out of contract next year. United have an existing relationship with De Ligt's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, who was hosted at the club's training complex over the last year.

READ MORE: Everton reject United's second bid for Branthwaite

READ MORE: Sancho unaccounted for as United return to training

De Ligt played under United manager Erik ten Hag at Ajax before he joined Juventus in a £68m deal in 2019. There are currently five former Ajax players in the United squad and four arrived after Ten Hag's appointment in May 2022.

United scouted De Ligt when he was a teenager at Ajax and their then head of youth recruitment, Derek Langley, later revealed the club vetoed a move for the Dutchman.

De Ligt is in the Netherlands squad at the European Championship but has not played in any of their five matches in Germany.

United dealt with Bayern over the 11th-hour loan deal for Marcel Sabitzer in January last year. They have not bought a player from Bayern since Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2015.