Barcelona defensive target offered to Real Madrid

Matthijs de Ligt is likely to be on the transfer market this summer and could force a scramble for his signing.

One of the most reliable young defenders in the game, the 22-year-old has been on the radars of Barcelona since he burst onto the scenes at AFC Ajax, captaining the team as a teenager, even leading them to the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2019.

Elite clubs from across Europe queued up to sign him, including the Blaugrana. However, a bigger contract offer and a charm offensive from Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus beat the rest of the competition to his signing.

However, his time in Turin has not gone according to plans. Not only de Ligt has had to share game-time with Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, but he also has had to face criticism from the fans, sometimes unwarranted. In addition, Juventus have endured a drastic decline over the past couple of years and are not competing for the Serie A title.

All these factors have contributed to the Dutchman wanting an exit in the summer. El Nacional claims that de Ligt indeed has informed his agent, Mino Raiola, to find a new club for him before next season.

The super-agent dropped a major hint that the ex-Ajax captain could be on the move next year, while also name-checking Barça as a possible destination.

However, the aforementioned report from El Nacional indicates that Barcelona signing the Dutchman will not be easy due to the club’s financial situation. It also states that the centre-back himself would likely have second thoughts about a move to Camp Nou as they are also not in a position to challenge for titles.

Instead, it is claimed that de Ligt’s services have been offered to Barcelona’s arch-rivals, Real Madrid. The Spanish capital club have also been long-linked with a move for the Netherlands international and new manager Carlo Ancelotti is believed to be a huge admirer of the 22-year-old.

With Real Madrid losing both Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in the summer, they signed only David Alaba as a replacement. And even though Eder Militao has done well, they remain intent on adding another top centre-back, making de Ligt an option. With the defender now being offered to them, the ball lies firmly in their court.