by - Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will join Man United for £55.8 million
- The pair have completed their medical examinations and could face Fulhm next week.
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Manchester United expect Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to be available for the match against Fulham after completing their medicals on Friday.
The pair join from Bayern Munich for £55.8 million and were photographed dining in Manchester on Monday evening after flying in from Germany earlier in the day.
The duo were spotted leaving the upmarket restaurant Sexy Fish in Deansgate. De Ligt left the restaurant holding hands with his wife Annekee Molenaar – a model and the daughter of former Dutch player Keje Molenaar.
Several fans also gathered outside the Asian restaurant to take photos with the club’s new signings – who had been photographed earlier that day upon their arrival at Munich airport before their departure to Manchester.
Sexy Fish serves a variety of delicacies from oysters to Waygu beef. Several other professional footballers, including Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, have visited the restaurant over the years. Grealish also received a parking ticket after he and his girlfriend Sasha Attwood went to the restaurant for dinner in 2023.
Matthijs de Ligt (left) and Noussair Mazraoui (right) were photographed leaving the Sexy Fish restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday evening
De Ligt was also seen holding hands with his wife as the couple left the upscale restaurant in Deansgate
The defenders also took photos and signed autographs with several fans in front of the restaurant
Dutch international De Ligt was an important target for Erik ten Hag during the transfer window.
United have been on the hunt for several new defenders this summer after struggling with a series of injuries to key players last season. Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane – who has since left the club – were all out at times in the 2023/24 season, giving Ten Hag several selection problems.
The 25-year-old de Ligt, a graduate of the prestigious Ajax academy, joined Juventus from the Eredivisie in 2019. He helped the Italian team win Serie A in the 2019-20 season – making 117 appearances for the club in all competitions.
He later moved to Bayern Munich in 2022 and, although he did not take part in the tournament, was named in Ronald Koeman’s squad for the 2024 European Championship.
Mazraoui, 26, also came through the Ajax academy and made his Eredivisie debut in 2018. He later moved to Bayern Munich in 2022, where he made 55 appearances for the club and won the Bundesliga title in 2023.
United will be looking to avenge their FA Community Shield defeat to rivals Manchester City on Saturday and will be hoping to kick off their Premier League season at Old Trafford on Friday night.
De Ligt (pictured) and Mazraoui arrived at Munich Airport on Monday morning ahead of completing their moves to Man United in a spectacular £55.8million double deal.
Maraoui is set to join United in a deal worth an initial £13 million, with a potential £4 million in add-ons.
The two defenders both played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and will change United’s defence
The 25-year-old de Ligt was part of the Dutch squad for the 2024 European Championship, but did not play in Germany.
Mazraoui is a right-back but can also play as a left-back, which would be a huge asset for United.
Ten Hag, meanwhile, is also looking to sign a new midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window amid speculation that Scott McTominay could leave the club. Fulham have already made an initial offer for the Scottish midfielder, but United have rejected it.
Burnley midfielder Sander Berge was left out of the club’s squad at Luton last night after United enquired as the club remain interested in PSG’s Manuel Ugarte – despite previous reports suggesting the Red Devils were unwilling to pay the £51million fee demanded for the Argentine.
