No deal is officially in place yet, but Matthijs de Ligt’s move to Barcelona – following in the footsteps of Ajax team-mate Frenkie de Jong – is a formality.
That is according to SPORT who claim the highly-coveted teenage centre-back will arrive at the Camp Nou this summer in a deal worth €70 million.
Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who got the deal for De Jong over the line, has reportedly taken charge of the De Ligt deal too, although it is believed nothing will be finalised until after the Copa del Rey final against Valencia in Seville on May 25.
Barca have long been keen on the Dutch club’s captain and have been in regular contact over recent months, but talks are said to be more complicated than with De Jong, mainly due to the fact De Ligt’s agent is Mino Raiola, who asks for huge amounts of commission and looks to start auctions on his players.
De Ligt’s desire, though, is clearly to follow De Jong to Catalonia, and he is believed to have turned down offers from Juventus and Bayern Munich.
De Ligt’s continued growth and performances with Ajax in the Champions League have extended the move due to other suitors going crazy and offering big money for De Ligt, more than Barca offered in their most recent meeting, allegedly.
But Barca, De Ligt and Raiola have met face to face on three occasions in three different cities.
SPORT have learned that the player’s intention is, once the Dutch season ends (Ajax have their final game on Wednesday and should win the title), to enjoy 10 days off before he has to join up with the Dutch national team on May 24.
Holland are preparing for the UEFA Nations League final four. They have England in the semi-final. Before that, De Ligt wants his future tied down.
