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What's the story?
Matthijs De Ligt has landed in Turin ahead of his medical at Juventus as his move away from Ajax inches closer.
In case you didn't know...
The Dutch youngster is one of the best young prospects in Europe, with his stocks rising sharply in the past two seasons due to his mature displays for AFC Ajax. De Ligt became the youngest captain to play in a Champions League semi-final. He also led the Amsterdam outfit to a Europa League finale aged just 17.
De Ligt made his debut for the Netherlands in March 2017, despite having started just two league games for Ajax at the time.
Matthijs' rapid ascend in European sparked a tug of war amongst the continent's top sides for his signature- with Barcelona, Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich considered his possible destinations.
The Blaugrana came close to secure De Ligt's services after signing his Ajax teammate Frenkie de Jong, but the defender's upscale contract demands scuppered his move to Spain. After a lengthy spell of rumours and speculations, the 19-year-old decided to join Juventus and play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
The heart of the matter
In spite of agreeing on personal terms, Matthijs' transfer was delayed due to the lack of consensus between Juventus and Ajax over the transfer fee. The Italian club's initial offer of €50 million was rejected by De Godenzonen.
After a series of meetings, a deal reportedly worth €70 million was agreed between the clubs to make De Ligt a Bianconeri subject to medical. The Dutch sensation will pen a five-year contract, with a reported annual salary of €12 million.
Juventus have officially confirmed that Matthijs De Ligt has arrived in Turin to complete his medical at the J-Hospital.
What's next?
Matthijs De Ligt's medical at J-Hospital is scheduled for tomorrow morning, with an official announcement imminent after he puts pen to paper.
