Manchester City are reportedly ready to fork out €90 million to secure the services of Juventus defensive prospect Matthijs de Ligt.
According to Tutto Juve, Manchester City are determined to sign Matthijs de Ligt this summer. The Juventus defender has been identified as the ideal face of the club’s defensive unit in the years to come, and the Premier League champions are ready to table an offer of around €90 million.
Manchester City’s determination to sign de Ligt stems from Pep Guardiola’s desire to build the team around young players. The Cityzens have already roped in prospects such as Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez this summer and are open to signing more youngsters in an attempt to build a strong base for the future.
That is where Matthijs de Ligt comes into the fray. Despite being 22, the Dutchman is considered one of the most matured centre-backs in Europe and has the experience of playing 117 competitive matches for each Juventus and Ajax. He has 38 caps for the Dutch national team as well, with many even considering him a defensive leader in the group.
Following the exit of Giorgio Chiellini, Juventus were hoping to keep hold of de Ligt as the future face of the club’s defence. But in light of their economic situation, the Serie A giants are not in a position of sustaining the defender’s lucrative wages and have offered him a new contract that includes a pay cut.
De Ligt is not too keen on accepting the new terms and is looking for a way out of the Serie A club. The Dutchman has been closely linked with a move to Bayern Munich, but it appears Manchester City have emerged as the new favourites to snap him up ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Although Manchester City boast the services of Ruben Dias, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte, coach Pep Guardiola wants a youngster alternative to the three. The club are expected to sanction the sale of Nathan Ake to Chelsea, and that should pave the way for them to make a fresh move for de Ligt.
The former Ajax starlet brings the right amount of experience to the table, while his technical ability could make him an ideal fit to Guardiola’s tactical setup. At the age of 22, he has time on his side as well, meaning he could be a smart long-term investment for the English champions this summer.
