Bayern Munich legend drops big hint over Matthijs de Ligt's future amid interest from Erik ten Hag and Man Utd

Hoeness has made it clear that he has no issue with De Ligt remaining at Bayern, but he did hint at the possibility of a defender leaving the club this summer. As of now, there has been no formal agreement for the transfer of the £42m ($54.25m)-rated Dutchman to Manchester United.

However, things could change in the next few weeks as De Ligt is reportedly keen to reunite with Ten Hag in England and has already agreed to personal terms with the Red Devils. But United are reportedly walking a tightrope in their efforts to comply with the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules and further signings will depend significantly on player departures, following their recent acquisition of 18-year-old Leny Yoro for over £50m.

During a chat with Maximilian Koch on the sidelines of an event for local Bavarian amateur side Seligenporten, Hoeness stated: "No more players will come unless two or three players leave first. Max Eberl and Christoph Freund know full well that no one will come unless one or two prominent players leave. The FC Bayern has no money-wasters."

When asked about the future of De Ligt, Hoeness commented: "It is possible that a defender will still leave. De Ligt is Dutch, and the coach at Man Utd is Dutch. I would have no problem if he stayed. Personally, I would not sell (Dayot) Upamecano."

The potential departure of De Ligt, who joined Bayern only two years ago, has not sat well with the club's supporters. This dissatisfaction has led to the creation of an online petition against his transfer, which has garnered over 70,000 signatures as Bayern fans are adamant about keeping De Ligt and are making their voices heard to the club's board.

Whether Bayern Munich will yield to the increasing fan pressure remains to be seen, as Manchester United and Erik ten Hag continue their efforts to secure a high-profile transfer. However, the Bundesliga giants will likely offload one of the defenders after signing Hiroki Ito - with Upamecano, Eric Dier and Kim Min-Jae already on the roster.