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What's the story?
Paris Saint-Germain's new sporting director Leonardo has confirmed that Ajax sensation Matthijs de Ligt will not be joining the Ligue 1 giants in the summer.
In case you didn't know...
De Ligt remains one of the hottest prospects in the current summer window, following his stellar campaign for his club and country. It is an open secret that multiple European heavyweights are in pursuit of the Ajax defender.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a terrific season with Ajax, where he helped the Dutch giants secure the domestic double. With his scintillating displays and leadership, de Ligt also led Ajax into the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Ajax enjoyed an extended run in the Champions League after a long time and they dominated teams like Real Madrid and Juventus during their journey.
De Ligt also played a crucial role for his country as the Netherlands reached the finals of the UEFA Nations League. Eventually, the Dutch were defeated by Portugal led by Cristiano Ronaldo and the five-time Ballon d'Or winner advised the young center-back to join him at Juventus.
De Ligt's agent Mino Raiola recently confirmed that the player has agreed personal terms with Juventus
The heart of the matter
PSG sporting director Leonardo has now confirmed that they are no longer in the race to sign the Ajax defender.
Speaking in an interview with Le Parisien, Leanardo said:
"De Ligt will not come to PSG. There was a possibility. He is a great player but it was not a good time to make a big investment."
"We must calm down a little. We don't have an envelope of €200 million to spend."
"We need a defensive midfielder and maybe a player to complete the central defense. In attack, we have many solutions. It will also be important this season to see young players get on the main team."
"But there is also important data, it should not be hidden: it is financial fair play. The rules and criteria in force must be respected."
What's next?
At this moment in time, it seems as though de Ligt is set to join Juventus, but the Bianconeri have still not agreed a fee for the defender with Ajax.
