Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed the club's interest in signing Bayern Munich's Matthijs de Ligt while dismissing claims of a deliberate focus on Dutch players as "coincidence."
United recently signed French defender Leny Yoro from Lille and Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, bolstering their squad ahead of the new season.
Their interest in De Ligt was first reported by The Athletic on June 28, with formal discussions ongoing. Additionally, Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite is another centre-back under consideration after the departures of Raphael Varane and Willy Kambwala.
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Erik ten Hag confirms De Ligt interest, denies prioritizing Dutch players
Since taking charge, Ten Hag, 54, has signed several players with Dutch links, including Tyrell Malacia and loanee Wout Weghorst. Other signings such as Antony, Lisandro Martinez, and Andre Onana also played under him at Ajax.
The coaching staff has seen Dutch additions too, with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake joining, replacing Mitchell van der Gaag.
Ten Hag emphasized that the focus on Dutch players is unintentional and every player is selected based on collective decision-making between him and the recruitment team. He told AD Sportwereld:
"It remains to be seen whether De Ligt will come. I know Matthijs well, and I wanted to sign him two years ago, but he was already close to joining Bayern Munich. His name did not come from me in the process of targeting signings."
While on holiday, the summer transfer shortlist was created by the scouting and recruitment department, but Ten Hag supports these decisions. He added:
"We still make these choices together. Our main criteria will always be: is the player good? Is he the right character? Does he fit our age and quality bracket?"
Ten Hag addressed the perceived bias towards Dutch players, stressing that nationality is irrelevant. The United boss stated:
"I understand the media creates a certain image when you do not win, but it doesn't matter where the player is from. What matters is their skill, character, and fit for the team."
How much will Man United have to pay for De Ligt?
Despite the interest, Manchester United will not proceed with signing Matthijs de Ligt if Bayern Munich insist on a €50 million ($54.4 million) fee plus bonuses.
This high price makes the transfer unlikely, according to Sky reporter Florian Plettenberg. Consequently, Bayern will not move forward with their pursuit of Jonathan Tah.
