Manchester United expect Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to be available to face Fulham on Friday after they completed their medicals.
The pair will sign from Bayern Munich for £55.8m and were pictured on Monday night enjoying a meal out in Manchester having flown in from Germany earlier in the day.
The duo were seen leaving the upmarket Sexy Fish restaurant in Deansgate, with De Ligt walking out of the restaurant holding hands with his wife Annekee Molenaar – a model and is the daughter of former Netherlands player Keje Molenaar.
Several supporters also gathered outside the Asian restaurant to take pictures with the club’s new signings – who had been pictured arriving at Munich Airport earlier in the day before flying to Manchester.
Sexy Fish serves up a variety of fine dining delicacies from Oysters to Waygu beef. Several other professional footballers, including Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, have frequented the restaurant over the years. Grealish was also notably given a parking ticket after he and his girlfriend Sasha Attwood had headed out to the restaurant for dinner back in 2023.
Matthijs de Ligt (left) and Noussair Mazraoui (right) were pictured leaving the Sexy Fish restaurant in Manchester on Tuesday evening
De Ligt was also seen holding hands with his wife as the pair stepped out of the upmarket restaurant in Deansgate
The defenders also took photos and signed autographs with several fans outside the restaurant
Netherlands international, De Ligt, has been a key target for Erik ten Hag during the transfer window.
United have been on the hunt for several new defenders this summer, having struggled with a raft of injuries to key players last season. Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane – who has since left the club – were all sidelined at points during the 2023-24 campaign, leaving Ten Hag with several selection headaches.
De Ligt, 25, a graduate of the illustrious Ajax academy, joined Juventus from the Eredivisie side back in 2019. He would go on to help the Italian side win the Serie A during the 2019-20 season – having made 117 appearances across all competitions for the club.
He’d later join Bayern Munich in 2022, before being picked as part of Ronald Koeman’s Euro 2024 squad, despite not making an appearance at the tournament.
Mazraoui, 26, also rose through the Ajax academy and made his Eredivisie debut in 2018. He’d later join up with Bayern Munich in 2022 before going on to make 55 appearances for the club and win the Bundesliga title in 2023.
United will be keen to avenge the loss of their FA Community Shield match against rivals Manchester City on Saturday as they look to get their Premier League campaign underway at Old Trafford on Friday night.
De Ligt (pictured) and Mazraoui have arrived at Munich Airport on Monday morning ahead of completing their moves to Man United in a blockbuster £55.8 double swoop
Maraoui is set to join United in a deal worth an initial £13m, with a potential £4m in add-ons
The defenders both played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and will transform United’s defence
De Ligt, 25, was a part of the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 squad, but did not make an appearance in Germany
Mazraoui is a right back, but can also fill in at left back which will be a huge boost to United
Ten Hag, meanwhile, is also looking to bring in a new midfielder before the end of the summer window, amid speculation that Scott McTominay could leave the club. Fulham have already tabled an initial offer for the Scottish midfielder, which United have rejected.
Burnley midfielder Sander Berge was left out of their squad at Luton last night following enquiries from United, who retain interest in Manuel Ugarte of PSG – despite reports previously suggesting that the Red Devils were unwilling to meet their £51m asking price for the Argentinian.
