£68m defender ‘wants to join’ Man Utd immediately as PSG enter into bidding war with Portuguese wonderkid

Manchester United are hoping to make wholesale changes to their playing squad with Erik ten Hag being given increased time to turn the Red Devils’ fortunes around.

Last term, the 13-time Premier League winners fell to an eighth place finish - their lowest since 1990 - but the Dutchman, like Alex Ferguson 34 years ago, was able to win himself extra time after an FA Cup final victory at Wembley Stadium.

Manchester United’s defensive issues were one of the main factors that hampered their progress last term and in a bid to rectify this issue they are hoping to strike a deal with Bayern Munich for highly-rated centre back Matthijs de Ligt.

The 24-year-old rose to prominence at Ajax during ten Hag’s time in the Dutch capital and emerged as a first team regular in 2016 when he was just 17 years old.

The defender quickly earned the trust of ten Hag and became the youngest player to ever appear in a major European cup final when he played in the Europa League against Manchester United in a 2-0 loss back in 2017.

De Ligt’s performances would go from strength to strength in the following season as he helped the club to a league and cup double whilst also defying expectations to reach the semi-final of the Champions League with notable victories over Juventus and Real Madrid whilst also becoming the youngest captain in a Champions League knockout history at just 19.

The teenager rapidly became one of the most sought-after players in world football and secured a £68m move to Italian giants Juventus in the summer of 2019. After three trophy-laden seasons in Turin he completed yet another blockbuster move to join Bayern Munich for £68m.

De Ligt shone in his first season at the Allianz Arena as Bayern lifted a 10th consecutive league title under Thomas Tuchel. However, injuries hampered his progress in the second season and after missing out on the Bundesliga title it is now reported by Sky Sports that the 24-year-old is keen on a reunion with ten Hag and is pushing for a move as soon as possible.

90min.com understands that Manchester United may be able to acquire the defender for a cut-price fee of around £42.1m this summer.

PSG and Man Utd battle to sign Portuguese prodigy

Manchester United are expected to lose Casemiro to a Saudi Pro League club this summer, according to reports from L’Equipe in France.

The Brazilian impressed in his debut campaign after arriving from Real Madrid in 2022, but was the subject of criticism for his performances, particularly at the end of last season when he was deployed as a makeshift centre back.

Many pundits, including Jamie Carragher, have been critical of the veteran's energy levels and feel he lacks the ability to dictate games in the same way he had during his highly decorated stint at the Bernabeu.

With this in mind, Manchester United are hoping to bolster their midfield with a younger long-term replacement and Portuguese outlet A Bola understands that Benfica teenager Joao Neves is the man top of their wishlist.

The 19-year-old is the latest name to progress through the highly esteemed Benfica academy and after making 33 appearances in the league last season, he has already earned a reputation for being one of the most promising defensive midfielders in world football.

Neves is renowned for his aggression in midfield, his tremendous pace and his ability to create chances and retain the ball in tight spaces. He has already been capped nine times for Portugal and made one appearance at Euro 2024.

The youngster’s form has prompted a £50m offer from the Red Devils though A Bola understands that Paris Saint Germain have gazumped that by offering £58m for Neves.

Benfica, however, are known for driving a hard bargain. They sold Enzo Fernandez after a similar number of games to Chelsea for £105m and have a release clause on Neves which is also at around £100m. A Bola understands that at the moment the capital side are in no rush to sell the youngster as they aim to build a team that can reclaim the title from city-rivals Sporting CP.