Manchester United are continuing to scout Elche defender David Affengruber as uncertainty surrounds the fitness of centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, according to Sky Germany. De Ligt had been a consistent presence in United’s starting eleven, featuring in every Premier League match until a back injury sustained in November sidelined him.
The nature of De Ligt’s injury has been described as a “mystery” by The Athletic’s Man Utd correspondent Laurie Whitwell, with no firm timeline established for his return to full fitness. While currently participating in team training, the club may choose to rest the Netherlands international for the remainder of the season. His condition will heavily influence United’s summer transfer strategy, with the club awaiting confirmation of his and Lisandro Martinez’s fitness before deciding whether to pursue a new centre-back.
United’s recruitment team are exploring various options, including Micky van de Ven and Castello Lukeba, but are also considering more affordable alternatives. Affengruber, who was previously linked with the club in December, fits this profile. The 25-year-old Austria international has impressed for Elche since their promotion to LaLiga, becoming a key ball-winner and increasing his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) from approximately €3 million to €10.2 million.
Elche’s sporting director has lauded Affengruber as a “silent leader”. Several other European clubs are also tracking the defender, including AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, and Sevilla, alongside interest from the Bundesliga. With his current contract set to expire next year, a summer transfer is widely anticipated. Reporter Florian Plettenberg states that a move is “fully expected”. Data analytics firm SciSports suggests Affengruber would be a stylistically suitable addition to the Manchester United squad, although his potential game time remains a concern.
