Man Utd could reportedly still be in with a chance of signing Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax this summer, as Barcelona’s pursuit is said to have become complicated.
The 19-year-old has emerged as one of the most sought-after young players in Europe this year having established himself as a defensive rock and leader in Ajax’s domestic double success.
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As well as bagging seven goals and four assists in his 55 appearances for the Dutch giants, he has been crucial in leading them to domestic glory as well as the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Further, he has 15 caps for the Netherlands to his name already, and so that would suggest that he has a very bright future ahead of him for club and country.
As noted by ESPN last month, it had been suggested that he was closing in on a move to Barcelona this summer, joining current teammate Frenkie de Jong at the Nou Camp with his deal already made official.
It’s added in that report that it could cost the Catalan giants up to €80m to prise him away from Amsterdam, but it now appears as though things have become increasingly complicated for Barca due to financial reasons in the deal.
As per The Sun, via Catalunya Radio, it’s been suggested that De Ligt’s increased wage demands coupled with his agent, Mino Raiola, wanting a bigger agent’s fee, could now jeopardise the possibility of a move to Barcelona, while United may not have such concerns.
Furthermore, having just conceded 54 goals in 38 league games this past season, giving them the worst defensive record of the top nine sides in the standings, a centre-half is seemingly very much needed at Old Trafford to shore things up at the back.
Time will tell if De Ligt will be the solution, but it’s certainly an area in which Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will welcome reinforcements having failed to secure a top-four finish last season which in turn means they will be absent from the Champions League.
