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Report: Ajax Raise Matthijs De Ligt Valuation to £52M Amid Barcelona Rumours
November 2, 2018
Ajax have reportedly increased their valuation of star defender Matthijs de Ligt to £52 million amid continued links to the likes of Barcelona and Juventus.
According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Adam Shergold of the MailOnline), while the Dutch giants originally placed a £44 million price on their player, that amount has been increased as a result of the widespread interest in the player.
De Ligt, still only 19 years old, is said to be attracting interest from some of the biggest clubs in European football, including Manchester City and Bayern Munich, in addition to the Blaugrana and the Bianconeri.
While it's been reported that Ajax are thinking about what price they would sell the youngster for, the club's sporting director Marc Overmars made it clear nobody would be leaving the Amsterdam Arena midseason.
"I think it is pretty well known that nobody will be leaving Ajax in the January transfer window," he told FOX Sports (h/t Goal). "There is absolutely no chance, regardless of any offers that could come in."
Per Goal, De Ligt is not the only Ajax tyro who has been linked with Barcelona, as midfielder Frenkie De Jong is said to be on their on their radar too.
Rafael Hernandez of Barcelona fansite Grup14 believes the two Ajax stars would represent fine signings for Barcelona:
De Ligt has plenty in Dutch football excited, having burst into the Ajax team as a 17-year-old and cemented his spot in the side. He was key in their run to the 2016-17 UEFA Europa League final and has been a regular in the team since.
Recently De Ligt has been recognised as one of the best young players in European football:
Given centre-back is such an unforgiving position on the pitch, the composure and quality De Ligt has shown early in his career is remarkable. It makes interest in him from some huge clubs inevitable.
The intelligence he continues to show on the field would suit the styles of both Juve and Barcelona too. The former have been renowned for having cerebrally sharp players at the back, while the La Liga side have regularly recruited centre-backs who can distribute with precision.
De Ligt, having come through the Ajax youth setup, is unsurprisingly technically proficient and brilliant with the ball at his feet:
The Netherlands international is still in the early stages of his career and will be enjoying his time at Ajax, having recently been handed the captain's armband.
Still, the chance to play for a club like Barcelona or Juventus and operate alongside some of the best players on the planet will be appealing, even for someone with such an affinity with Ajax.