Manchester United have acquired Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich as they continue to rebuild under INEOS ownership.

Manchester United have made two significant signings, securing the services of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich. The club confirmed the transfers on Tuesday, with De Ligt reuniting with United manager Erik ten Hag, whom he previously worked with at Ajax.

The initial fee for De Ligt’s transfer is reported to be €45m (£38.6m), with an additional €5m (£4.3m) in add-ons. Ten Hag, upon his arrival at Ajax in 2018, appointed De Ligt as the youngest-ever captain of the club. Together, they achieved success, winning the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup in the same season.

In an interview with United, the Dutch defender expressed his excitement about the opportunity to join such a historic club. He praised the vision of the football leadership at Manchester United and spoke highly of his relationship with Ten Hag, stating that he knows how to bring out the best in him. De Ligt is determined to continue his successful record at the highest level with his new team.

De Ligt left Ajax in 2019 to join Juventus before making the move to Bayern Munich in 2022 for a fee of £65m. However, he has struggled to secure a consistent place in the starting line-up at Bayern, as the team went trophyless for the first time in 12 years. Despite this, De Ligt has made 45 appearances for the Netherlands and was included in the Dutch squad for Euro 2024.

Manchester United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, praised De Ligt’s qualities as a defender and winner, highlighting his experience and leadership. The club believes that his best years are still ahead of him and is committed to supporting his development at Old Trafford.

De Ligt’s arrival at United coincides with a transition period for the club, as Ineos takes control of football operations. He will be joined by his former Bayern teammate, Mazraoui, who is a 26-year-old right back. Mazraoui also has experience playing under Ten Hag and was a teammate of De Ligt at Ajax.

United have until Thursday to register both De Ligt and Mazraoui if they are to feature in the team’s opening Premier League fixture against Fulham on Friday night. After a disappointing season that saw them finish eighth in the league, United will be looking to make a strong start and build on their impressive FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.