Report: Matthijs de Ligt Signs Juventus Contract Ahead of Transfer

Matthijs de Ligt reportedly has signed his Juventus contract and will soon have his medical, completing a €75 million transfer from Ajax. 

The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano reported the news:

On Instagram, Romano reported the fee and added De Ligt's contract will run until 2023. The deal was agreed on three weeks ago, per Romano. 

The report came just hours after Ajax director of football Marc Overmars told Voetbal Internationaal (h/t Football Italia) the deal to take De Ligt to Turin was as good as done:

Ajax had already left him out of the squad for their training camp in Austria:

De Ligt's future has been one of the longest-running and most high-profile sagas of the summer. He was previously linked to Barcelona, and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed he already knew where the youngster would end up back in April, per ESPN FC's Sam Marsden.

Football Italia reported there were also links with Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. 

The 19-year-old was the defensive rock behind Ajax's stellar 2018-19 campaign, in which the Dutch club won the domestic title and cup and made it to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Despite his young age, he wore the captain's armband.

Juventus have already signed two promising centre-backs this summer, sending Cristian Romero back to Genoa on loan and adding Merih Demiral to the squad from Sassuolo. 

De Ligt is a far more established star, however, and will be expected to have a more immediate impact than Demiral.

With Andrea Barzagli retiring at the end of last season and Giorgio Chiellini now 34 years old, the Bianconeri had a real need for youth at the position. The addition of De Ligt should more than make up for the loss of Barzagli, as he could be a cornerstone for the club for years to come.

Per Football Italia, his deal will include a €150 million release clause, which will increase every year. His €75 million price tag will already make him one of the most expensive defenders of all time, however, so few clubs will be able or willing to go anywhere near that clause.