Juventus sign Dutch international defender Matthijs De Ligt from Ajax

Juventus have announced the signing of highly sought-after Dutch international defender Matthijs De Ligt from Ajax for €75 million.

The Bianconeri beat a host of European clubs, including Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, to secure the 19-year-old’s signature on a five-year deal.

The transfer fee will paid over the course of five seasons and the club will incur addition costs of €10.5 million in servicing the fee.

The Liederdorp native has enjoyed a meteoric rise since making his Ajax debut at the age of 17 in a KNVB Cup game against Willem II in September 2016..

He found himself on the scoresheet on his debut to become the second-youngest goalscorer in the club’s history after Clarence Seedorf.

De Light was a key part of the Ajax side that reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2018/19, scoring the decisive goal in the 3-2 aggregate quarter-final win over Juventus.

He would also find the target in the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur, putting his side 2-0 up on aggregate early in the second leg, only for a last-minute strike from Lucas Moura to win it for Spurs.

De Ligt made his international debut for the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifier in 2017, aged 17, and has gone on to amass 17 caps, scoring twice.