Man Utd already in talks to sign £260k-a-week star, personal terms discussed after Ten Hag phone call - report

Manchester United are already in talks with Bayern Munich to sign Matthijs de Ligt, according to De Telegraaf.

The Red Devils are aiming to bolster their central defensive department this summer following the departure of Raphael Varane on a free transfer.

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been the primary transfer target for the Red Devils, but the focus appears to have shifted to De Ligt in recent days.

It is now reported that the Netherlands international has a five-year contract offer on the table and it is expected that an agreement can be reached in the short term.

If things go as planned, De Ligt would then wait for an agreement between United and Bayern.

Mike Verweij says the defender is the top priority for manager Erik ten Hag and he has had several conversations on the phone with his former Ajax centre-back.

Meanwhile, United are already in talks with Bayern over the transfer fee for the 24-year-old.

De Ligt could be close to Man Utd transfer

The Red Devils were aiming to land Branthwaite for around £43m earlier last month, but Everton were adamant that he would not be sold for less than £70m.

With the financial year ending on June 30, the Merseyside outfit are now in a stronger position to negotiate and could hold out for their current price tag.

This could be the reason behind United’s change of stance. De Ligt was a key player under Ten Hag at Ajax and the duo could be reunited at Old Trafford very soon.

The Dutchman is one of the best distributors in the game. He had a passing accuracy of 93.5 percent in the Bundesliga last term, only Jonathan Tah had a higher success rate.

Aside from his sublime passing skills, De Ligt also impressed with his aerial presence, recoveries and ability to clear his lines. He would be an ideal successor for Varane.

He is currently valued at £55m by Transfermarkt which is quite reasonable for his age and potential. United will be hoping to prise him away for a similar transfer sum.

His wages are on the higher side at £260,000 per week. In our view, the club could be willing to offer £300,000 weekly as he is just entering the prime of his career.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com, Sofascore.com, FBref.com & Capology.com