Top 4 players that Manchester United were linked with but could not recruit

#3 Matthijs de Ligt

Matthijs de Ligt joined forces with Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus

Matthijs de Ligt is undoubtedly the most decorated young centre back in the world right now. His fame shot up by leaps and bounds during Ajax's last season Champions League crusade, where he played a crucial role in not only defending but also scoring goals. He replicated his club form for Holland too and was a hot property in the transfer market alongside compatriot Frenkie de Jong.

While de Jong sealed his move to Barcelona in the second half of the season, de Ligt’s future was unclear and the rumour saga surrounding him dragged on all summer. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, PSG, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and Manchester United were all linked to the player, with whispers generating every day in the rumour mill about his next club. Eventually he ended up choosing Juventus and United lost out. They could have really benefitted with a player of de Ligt's potential and leadership skills in their backline.