Bayern Munich reportedly are still in the race to sign 19-year-old Ajax captain and center-back Matthijs de Ligt in the summer transfer window.
The Champions League final has not yet even been played, but clubs across Europe have already stepped up their transfer plans for the summer window. Bayern Munich will be looking to wrap up their transfers quickly to avoid entering into bidding wars for their transfer targets.
Die Roten have already improved their defensive options for next season by completing moves for World Cup winners Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez. Bayern avoided any possibility of other clubs swooping in for the young defenders by completing the moves way before the summer.
There are unlikely to be any more additions to Bayern’s defensive department. However, the latest reports from Spain suggest the German giants are still in the running for Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutch defender is considered a generational talent in his position, and various European clubs have shown interest in signing him this summer.
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According to RAC1 (via Sport Witness), Barcelona are falling behind in the race for De Ligt as other clubs are offering the player better financial packages. The report claims both Bayern Munich and Manchester United are ready to meet the demands of De Ligt’s agent Mino Raiola and offer the player massive wages. There is no mention of a transfer fee in this report.
Earlier this month, ESPN also reported that Bayern Munich, along with the likes of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain were trying to persuade De Ligt by offering a better salary package than Barcelona. The Dutch international told the same outlet earlier this week that he will make a decision on his next club after the upcoming international break.
Bayern have been previously linked with De Ligt, but the current rumors are likely to be fueled by Raiola in order to force Barcelona to improve their offer. The German champions are pretty stacked at center-back and don’t necessarily need the player. There are four center-backs in the squad right now, while Jerome Boateng is expected to leave the club in the summer window. Moreover, Javi Martinez can also operate in a central defensive position if there is an injury crisis, and Lars Lukas Mai is not far off a move to the first team.
De Ligt will walk into the starting lineup of almost every top European club. Bayern would have pressed hard for his signature if they hadn’t shattered their transfer record to sign Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid. This transfer will only be viable if Bayern decides to offload Mats Hummels and/or Niklas Sule in this transfer window. And the chances of these German defenders leaving are basically non-existent as they have been key players for Niko Kovac this season.