Juventus are closing on a €70 million (£63m/$80m) transfer for Ajax captain Matthijs De Ligt, with a deal possible in the coming hours.
Sources have told Goal that the Serie A champions have received extremely positive signals from both Ajax and De Ligt’s agent, Mino Raiola, indicating a deal is close.
De Ligt is set to sign a five-year contract with Juventus, which will earn him a total salary of €12m per season in Turin made up of his base wages and bonuses.
Also included in the deal is a release clause – as requested by Raiola – that will be around €150m (£135m/$170m).
That leaves De Ligt on the cusp of joining the club whose Champions League run he brought to an end this past season, with his goal proving the difference in sending Ajax past Juve in the competition’s quarter-final stage.
Ajax would fall at the next hurdle, losing to Tottenham on away goals in stoppage time with the club just minutes away from the Champions League final – one of the few blemishes on a successful campaign that saw De Ligt captain his side to a domestic double, as well as help the Netherlands make the Nations League final.
De Ligt’s future has been the source of constant speculation for much of the season, with Ajax sporting direct Marc Overmars conceding the defender would be departing eventually for a top club in Europe.
The centre-back has been frequently linked to La Liga champions Barcelona, especially after the Catalan club signed his Ajax and Netherlands team-mate, Frenkie de Jong, earlier in 2019.
Yet, reports circulated Barca had pulled out of the running to sign De Ligt over concerns over his wages.
In addition, Manchester United reportedly jumped into the fray, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looking to improve his back line this summer, while Champions League winners Liverpool were also mentioned as a possible landing spot.
In recent days Paris Saint-Germain, behind new sporting director Leonardo, have attempted to wedge their way in between De Ligt and Juventus.
But it appears De Ligt has made his long anticipated decision in favour of Juventus, with new manager Maurizio Sarri receiving an impressive new tool to go into his defensive arsenal as he aims to guide the club to an ninth straight Serie A crown and a first Champions League title since 1996.