Matthijs de Ligt rejected Barcelona and PSG to seal Manchester United move
Matthijs de Ligt made his Manchester United debut last week Friday against Fulham
Matthijs de Ligt turned down interest from both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain to complete his transfer to Manchester United, according to a report.
The Dutch defender was put up for sale earlier this summer, leading to extended negotiations between United and Bayern Munich.
At one point, it seemed the deal might fall through, but a €45 million (£38.2 million) agreement was eventually reached to bring De Ligt to United.
The Athletic reports that Barcelona and PSG both contacted De Ligt’s representatives before the deal was finalized, expressing their interest.
However, De Ligt was clear that United were leading the race, partly due to his desire to reunite with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.
De Ligt reportedly had a strong preference for joining United over other clubs, with Real Madrid being the only team that might have posed a significant challenge to his decision.
Barcelona, which had been linked with De Ligt since his Ajax days, failed once again to secure his signature.
Matthijs de Ligt said after putting pen to paper: “As soon as I heard that Manchester United wanted me, I felt an excitement about the opportunity for a new challenge at such an historic club.
“In the conversations that followed, I was impressed by the vision that the football leadership set out, and the role they saw for me in it.
“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.
“I know what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and I’m determined to continue that record at this special club.”
PSG, on the other hand, reinforced their defense by signing 22-year-old Willian Pacho from Eintracht Frankfurt.
As the summer transfer window approaches its end, United and Barcelona could potentially still do business.
Reports suggest that Barcelona may consider a loan bid for winger Jadon Sancho later this month.
Sancho, who is available for a fee of £40 million, is preferred to be sold permanently by United.
However, with just over a week remaining in the window, a loan deal might be a possibility.
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