Juventus Defender Matthijs de Ligt 'Is Like a Rembrandt,' Says Agent Mino Raiola

Juventus centre-back Matthijs De Ligt has been compared to a Rembrandt painting by his agent Mino Raiola. 

The Dutchman is in his debut season at Juve after his summer move from Ajax for £67.5 million.

Still only 20, De Ligt took a few months to settle in Turin, but he has been excellent recently and was on the scoresheet in Juve's 3-0 win over Fiorentina on Sunday that kept them at the top of Serie A:

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After Matchday 22 here's how the #SerieATIM standings looks like! ⁰#WeAreCalcio pic.twitter.com/nGvDPJaCTB

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) February 3, 2020"

As far as Raiola is concerned, De Ligt is worthy of comparison to a masterpiece by his compatriot Rembrandt, while the Italian-born agent also provided an artistic equivalent for one of his other clients, Paul Pogba, per Belgian outlet Sport Voetbal Magazine (h/t Football Italia):

"Paul Pogba is like a Basquiat painting. Jean-Michel Basquiat was an expressive artist, a little rebellious, just like Paul.

"As for De Ligt, he is like a Rembrandt and is proving that with his latest performances. He is becoming [Rembrandt's most famous painting] The Night Watch before my very eyes.

"I heard reports he was struggling with Juventus, but I see Matthijs only growing. It's his first time at a foreign club, with a different culture, while he had only been accustomed to Ajax. De Ligt is like an oil tanker, you can't expect him to just suddenly change career direction in an instant. He is progressing constantly and, once he decides his destination, there is no stopping him."

De Ligt became a world star last season when, as Ajax captain, he led the Dutch club to a domestic double and the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

His rise to prominence led to an inevitable increase in scrutiny, and his early performances for Juve received plenty of criticism:

Competition for his place duly emerged in the shape of Merih Demiral, who then suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season.

De Ligt and the 21-year-old Turkey international look to be the future of Juventus' defence given Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are both now in their 30s:

De Ligt's youth is often forgotten because of his immense maturity on the pitch and the fact he was given a leadership role at Ajax when he was still a teenager.

But centre-backs typically do not hit their prime until their late 20s, an exciting prospect for Juve given how consistent the Netherlands international already is.

De Ligt could potentially have won league titles in two different countries before he is 21, and Juve are also among the favourites to go all the way in the Champions League this term.

They face Lyon in the first leg of their last-16 tie on February 26.