Report: Manchester United Ended Matthijs de Ligt Interest Due to Weight Worries

Manchester United reportedly opted against trying to sign Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt last season because of concerns he could become overweight later in his career.

According to David McDonnell of the Daily Mirror, club scout Marcel Bout, who was brought in at Old Trafford by former Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal, had been keeping tabs on the youngster and had advised the Red Devils to push ahead with a deal.

In the end, it's said United decided not to make a serious effort to sign De Ligt because his father is overweight.

"Bout told United that De Ligt's father, Frank, was significantly overweight and predicted the 19-year-old Holland international would go the same way as he got older and lose his pace and power," McDonnell said.

Per the report, former United manager Jose Mourinho identified Leicester City centre-back Harry Maguire as a possible alternative last summer, although the Red Devils opted against striking a deal for the England international.

De Ligt has been linked with a number of elite clubs, most notably Barcelona. According to Miguel Delaney of The Independent, the Blaugrana are confident of landing the defender.

Rafael Hernandez of Grup 14 thinks the centre-back would be an ideal acquisition for the Catalan club:

If the Red Devils did have a serious chance of signing De Ligt, they will surely lament not pushing hard to bring him in. In 2018-19, the Ajax star has cemented his reputation as one of the best young defenders in the game and a potential generational talent.

De Ligt helped Ajax to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where they were knocked out by Tottenham Hotspur.

He netted an excellent header to give side a 1-0 lead in the second leg (U.S. only):

While he also scored in the win over Juventus, De Ligt has become a household name on the back of his defensive qualities.

Per WhoScored.com, the teenager is brilliant at winning back the ball for his team:

The defensive and leadership qualities De Ligt has shown is exactly what United are lacking. A new centre-back will surely be one of the priorities for manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this summer, as he's struggled to settle on a consistent defensive unit.

De Ligt appears poised to make a huge step in what is still the early stages of his career, with a Barcelona switch looking inevitable. While the Red Devils have made some ill-advised moves in the transfer market in recent years, if De Ligt did slip through their fingers, it may be the biggest mistake they have made for a long time.