Manchester United have finalized the acquisition of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich in a transfer deal estimated to reach nearly £60 million.
De Ligt has committed to a five-year contract with Manchester United, while Mazraoui has agreed to a four-year deal. Both contracts include an option for a one-year extension.
Mazraoui is expected to step in immediately as a left-back replacement for the injured Luke Shaw. Shaw is anticipated to return after the first international break, but Mazraoui may be needed when Manchester United faces Fulham in the Premier League on Friday at 20:00 BST.
The financial details of the deal reveal that United will pay £38.5 million for De Ligt, with an additional £4.3 million in potential add-ons. De Ligt, 25, was the captain of Erik ten Hag’s Ajax team that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
Mazraoui, who previously worked under United manager Ten Hag at Ajax, credited the coach for shaping his early career. “Erik ten Hag shaped the early stages of my career, so he knows how to get the best out of me, and I cannot wait to work with him again,” De Ligt stated.
The 26-year-old Moroccan defender Mazraoui joins United for an initial fee of £12.8 million, with up to £4.3 million in potential add-ons. His arrival coincides with the departure of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who joined West Ham for £15 million earlier this week.
United had initially targeted Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite but turned to De Ligt after having two bids for the England international rejected. De Ligt was viewed as a more cost-effective and experienced option, with Everton maintaining a firm £70 million valuation for Branthwaite.
Both De Ligt and Mazraoui expressed enthusiasm about reuniting with Ten Hag, highlighting the manager’s significant role in their development. Mazraoui remarked, “It is exciting to be reuniting with him [Ten Hag] as I enter the prime years of my career. I know what he expects from his players, and I will give everything to help the group be successful.”
