Gyanmandu:
Matthijs de Ligt could be making headway to the Camp Nou this summer after reports suggest that Barcelona are on the verge of signing him. The 19-year-old highly rated centre-back could be moving to the Spanish club.
De Ligt has become one of the most sought after young players in Europe after a superb season with Ajax, helping them to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League and challenge for the Eredivisie title. Following their victory over Juventus in the Champions League, in which De Ligt scored the win, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand called the Dutch player the "best young centre-half on the planet."
Having led Ajax to their first Champions League semi-final since 1997, 19-year-old De Ligt has become one of the precious properties in European football and is high on the wish list of several Europe’s top clubs, including Juventus, PSG and Bayern Munich.
But it is understood that the defender’s number one preference is still to follow his Holland and Ajax team mate De Jong to Barcelona as the young Ajax captain has already rejected a £60 million (69 million euro) move to Manchester United. De Ligt has long been linked with a move to Camp Nou and was expected to be teamed up by Barca at the same as his team mate Frenkie de Jong, who signed for the club back in January for 86 million euros ($96 million).
Barcelona and Ajax are now working to reach a final agreement on De Ligt, whose value has skyrocketed since January from 16 million euros to 70 million euros.
