Skip to content

Report: Barca making final push to sign De Ligt in bid to beat favorites PSG

OLAF KRAAK / AFP / Getty

Barcelona have initiated renewed negotiations with agent Mino Raiola in a final attempt to sign Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt, sources told Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens of ESPN FC.

It's understood Barcelona have already reached an agreement with Ajax for an €80-million transfer fee, but the Catalonian side has failed to convince De Ligt himself to join them despite their understanding that a deal with the 19-year-old was agreed to in March.

Since then, Barcelona's offer has apparently been surpassed by Paris Saint-Germain, with a report last week suggesting the French champions are now the favorites to sign De Ligt.

It's unclear if Barcelona are willing to increase their offer to De Ligt, whose former Ajax teammate Frenkie De Jong agreed to join the Blaugrana in January for €75 million.

Bayern Munich was also understood to be in the running for the Ajax captain's signature, but ESPN FC's Raphael Honigstein reports the Bavarians have withdrawn their interest in order to address other areas of concern this summer. Manchester United, Liverpool, and Juventus have also been linked to the Dutch international.

De Ligt revealed Sunday that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo attempted to recruit him to Juventus after Portugal beat the Netherlands in the Nations League final.

"So soon after the game, you are not at all concerned with it. You are disappointed that you have lost and that is the only thing you are thinking about," he said.

"The transfer period starts in a while, so I will first go on a nice vacation and rest. I will let it happen, and then I will see."

De Ligt played a pivotal role in Ajax's run to the Champions League semifinals last season, as well as the team's first Eredivisie title since 2014.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox