Manchester United anticipates that Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will be available to face Fulham on Friday following the completion of their medical examinations.
The two players are set to join the club from Bayern Munich in a deal worth £55.8 million. On Monday night, they were spotted enjoying a meal out in Manchester after arriving from Germany earlier in the day.
The pair were seen leaving the upscale Sexy Fish restaurant in Deansgate, with De Ligt walking hand in hand with his wife, Annekee Molenaar, who is a model and the daughter of former Netherlands player Keje Molenaar.
A number of fans gathered outside the restaurant to take photos with the new Manchester United signings, who had been photographed arriving at Munich Airport earlier before their flight to Manchester.
Sexy Fish, known for its high-end dining options including oysters and Wagyu beef, has been a popular spot for several professional footballers, including Manchester City winger Jack Grealish. Notably, Grealish received a parking ticket after dining there with his girlfriend, Sasha Attwood, in 2023.
Netherlands international Matthijs de Ligt has been a primary target for Erik ten Hag throughout the transfer window.
Manchester United has been actively seeking several new defenders this summer, due to a series of injuries to crucial players last season. Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, and Raphael Varane—who has since departed the club—were all sidelined at various times during the 2023-24 season, creating significant selection challenges for Ten Hag.
De Ligt, 25, a product of the prestigious Ajax academy, moved to Juventus from the Eredivisie side in 2019. During his time with the Italian club, he played a crucial role in their Serie A victory for the 2019-20 season, making 117 appearances across all competitions.
He subsequently joined Bayern Munich in 2022 and was later selected for Ronald Koeman’s Euro 2024 squad, although he did not feature in the tournament.
Mazraoui, 26, also emerged from the Ajax academy and made his Eredivisie debut in 2018. He joined Bayern Munich in 2022, where he made 55 appearances and contributed to their Bundesliga title win in 2023.
Manchester United will be eager to make up for their FA Community Shield loss to Manchester City on Saturday as they prepare to kick off their Premier League campaign at Old Trafford on Friday night.
