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What's the story?
Juventus' recruit Matthijs de Ligt has denied that he joined the Old Lady because of Cristiano Ronaldo's message after the UEFA Nations League finals between the Netherlands and Portugal.
In case you didn't know...
De Ligt proved himself to be a formidable captain at the center of the Ajax defence and led the Dutch giants to the Eredivisie title, the KNVB Cup and the semi-finals of the Champions League in the recently-concluded season.
The 19-year-old was one of the summer's hottest transfer prospects with a series of European powerhouses battling for his signature. Serie A champions, Juventus, recently emerged as the victor in the race for the defender's services, bringing his long-running transfer saga to a close with a £68 million deal.
Much of the credit has been given to Ronaldo, who asked the former Ajax captain to join him at the Bianconeri after the UEFA Nations League final between their national teams last month. When asked about the encounter, the teenager said, "That [Ronaldo's plea] could be true, yes. I didn't understand him at first. I was a little shocked, so I laughed, but I didn't say anything."
"Shortly after the game you are not at all concerned with it, you are disappointed you have lost and that is the only thing you are thinking about."
The heart of the matter...
Speaking at his first press conference as a Juventus player, De Ligt insisted that his decision to join the Turin-based club was not driven by Ronaldo's plea but his own personal ambition. He maintains that while the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's words are a big compliment, it did not determine the decision.
He said (via Sport English), "In that moment I hadn't taken a decision. I had a preference but I wanted to wait until after the final. To see how Cristiano Ronaldo came up to me and said those words was a pleasure, but not determining in my decision."
He added, "It was a question of 'feeling'. I felt more of a connection with Juventus, I felt it from the first moment. I don't deny it's been a long process but the defensive tradition in Italy and Juve's huge will to sign me were key factors."
What's next?
Juventus are next scheduled to face Tottenham Hotspur in the International Champions Cup on Sunday.
