Manchester United have completed the signings of Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt and Moroccan full-back Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, the German team, on contracts that will run until June 2029 and June 2028 respectively, as announced by the Premier League club on Tuesday. While the financial terms were not revealed by either club, reports from British media suggest that the combined fee for both players exceeds £50 million.
The contracts for both players include an option to extend for an additional year, according to United. De Ligt, 25 years old, and Mazraoui both started their youth careers at Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands and later played under current United manager Erik ten Hag in the first team. De Ligt achieved success with Ajax, winning the Eredivisie in the 2018-19 season, followed by the Serie A title with Juventus in 2019-20 and the Bundesliga with Bayern in 2022-23.
In a statement, De Ligt expressed his excitement about reuniting with Ten Hag, saying, “Erik ten Hag played a crucial role in my early development, so he understands how to bring out the best in me. I can’t wait to work with him again.” He also emphasized his determination to continue his successful track record at Manchester United, stating, “I know what it takes to thrive at the highest level, and I’m fully committed to maintaining that standard at this exceptional club.”
Mazraoui, aged 26, became a member of Bayern after leaving Ajax in 2022 and proceeded to participate in 55 matches across various competitions. During his first season, he triumphed in both the Bundesliga and the DFL-Supercup. However, he experienced a brief period of being unable to play due to an injury last season. Mazraoui expressed his enthusiasm about reuniting with Erik ten Hag, acknowledging the significant role he played in his development as a player. Mazraoui considers this reunion to be particularly exciting as he enters the prime years of his career.
