Liverpool reportedly pulled the plug on a move for Matthijs de Ligt due to his strained relationship with Virgil van Dijk.
The 25-year-old recently secured a high-profile switch from Bundesliga powerhouses Bayern Munich to Manchester United for £42.7m over the summer window.
De Ligt has linked up with Red Devils head coach Erik ten Hag, with the pair working together previously during a trophy-laden period at Ajax.
The Netherlands international was United's second centre-back arrival of the summer trading point following the capture of French prodigy Leny Yoro.
De Ligt made his Man United debut in the win over Fulham in the closing stages, before starting his first match as the Red Devils lost 3-0 to Liverpool on September 1.
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Liverpool 'pulled plug' on De Ligt deal due to strained relations
According to Football Insider, there was an unusual reason why De Ligt did not put pen to paper at Premier League title contenders Liverpool this summer.
The report claims that Arne Slot's Reds were keen on the capture of the 25-year-old, who has won the Bundesliga, Serie A and Eredivisie so far in his career.
It is understood that the Bavarian giants and Liverpool held preliminary talks over the transfer of the defender from the Allianz Arena to Anfield.
However, it is believed that the Reds pulled out of their pursuit of the player when they learned of his strained relationship with Van Dijk.
The towering Dutch centre-back is currently into his final 12 months of a contract on Merseyside, alongside Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
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What has happened between Van Dijk and De Ligt?
The strained relationship between Van Dijk and Man United defender De Ligt supposedly started at Euro 2024 in the summer, when the former was a huge factor as to why the latter received little game time.
It is understood that the Liverpool man preferred Inter Milan's Stefan de Vrij as a centre-back partner, with Ronald Koeman's decision making being swayed as a result.
De Ligt faced his compatriot during his Man United debut on September 1, an encounter that undoubtedly went the way of the Liverpool star at the Theatre of Dreams.
Carter White
