The German newspaper Bild reports that due to various factors, Matthijs de Ligt, the Dutch defender who seemed likely to leave Bayern Munich, may now stay with the club, at least for this summer.
One reason is Ito’s fracture. In a friendly match, Bayern’s new defensive signing Ito suffered a fracture of the metatarsal in his right foot and will be out for some time. German media believe that the impact on the Japanese player goes beyond missing weeks or months; he has missed a valuable pre-season training period, which means even after his return, it may take him longer to get back into the game.
Another reason is that Bayern has encountered difficulties in acquiring other defenders. Bayern had viewed Leverkusen’s defender Jonathan Tah as their top transfer target, and they had already made two official offers: the first was €18 million plus add-ons, and the second was €25 million plus add-ons. However, both offers were rejected. German media point out that “there is a fundamental gap between Bayern and Leverkusen regarding the player’s valuation,” with Leverkusen demanding €40 million, an amount currently unaffordable for Bayern.
A further reason is the disagreement over the price for de Ligt’s sale. Bayern has set the asking price for de Ligt at €50 million plus add-ons, but so far, buyers – primarily Manchester United – have only offered €35 million.
Given these reasons, Bayern has halted the sale of de Ligt and may retain the Dutchman to deal with unexpected situations. Of course, if de Ligt’s suitors increase their offer, the situation could change, as anything can happen in the transfer market. For now, though, German media believe that a real opportunity for de Ligt to stay has emerged.
