Manchester United sign Bayern Munich duo Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui

LONDON – Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui have one thing in common – they both played for Erik ten Hag at Ajax Amsterdam and cannot wait to be reunited with their former boss at Manchester United.

On Aug 13, the Red Devils announced that they had signed the duo from Bayern Munich.

Reports put their transfer fees as £38.5 million (S$65 million) for de Ligt and £12.8 million for Mazraoui, with potential add-ons of £4.3 million each.

Netherlands centre-back de Ligt, 25, has signed a five-year contract with the option of another year.

“As soon as I heard that Manchester United wanted me, I felt an excitement about the opportunity of a new challenge at such an historic club,” he said.

“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.”

De Ligt has already won league titles in three different countries with Ajax (Netherlands), Juventus (Italy) and Bayern (Germany).

He added: “I know what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and I’m determined to continue that record at this special club.”

The Dutchman bolsters United’s central defence following the departures of Raphael Varane and Willy Kambwala, with fellow summer signing Leny Yoro in danger of being sidelined for up to three months with a foot injury suffered in pre-season.

Mazraoui, 26, also knows how to win, clinching three league titles with Ajax and another with Bayern.

The fullback has made 28 appearances for Morocco and reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

He has signed a four-year deal with the option of a further year and his arrival comes on the day that right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s departure to English Premier League rivals West Ham United was confirmed.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be a Manchester United player, and I cannot wait to walk out at Old Trafford wearing the red shirt,” said Mazraoui.

“Erik ten Hag played an important part in my development as a player, so it is exciting to be reuniting with him as I enter the prime years of my career.

“I know what he expects from his players, and I will give everything to help the group be successful.”

Besides de Ligt and Mazraoui, current United players Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Andre Onana also played for ten Hag at Ajax. Another new signing, Joshua Zirkzee, was a former teammate of de Ligt and Mazraoui at Bayern.

The new arrivals are set to be available for United’s season opener against Fulham at Old Trafford on Aug 16, with the Red Devils desperate to improve on last season’s eighth-place finish.

United finished a whopping 31 points adrift of champions Manchester City.

They did beat their local rivals in the FA Cup final before returning to Wembley last weekend to lose to Pep Guardiola’s side on penalties in the Community Shield.

Amid the positivity of new signings, there was some bad news.

United defender Luke Shaw has suffered a fresh injury setback and will miss the opening three games of the season.

The England fullback has a calf injury which United say will keep him out until the international break in September.

Shaw will now miss United’s Premier League fixtures at home to Fulham and Liverpool, as well as their trip to Brighton & Hove Albion. “He is working hard on his rehabilitation with a view to being available after the first international break,” said a club statement.

Shaw was selected for England’s Euro 2024 squad despite travelling to Germany with a hamstring injury and was unable to play until the quarter-final against Switzerland.

He made his first start of the tournament only in the final, with England losing 2-1 to Spain in Berlin to prolong their long wait for a major men’s football title, which stretches back to 1966. AFP, REUTERS