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Chelsea are reportedly leading the race to sign Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt, with Liverpool and Manchester United also interested in signing him.
A report by Il Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia) reveals that the Netherlands international is under contract with the Bianconeri until June 2024 and the club are keen to extend his deal.
He has a buyout clause valued at €120m which will increase to €140m next season. De Ligt is keen to reduce the value but talks between the club and the player have broken down.
Juventus are keen to extend the 22-year-old defender's stay in Turin but might be forced to sell him if he refuses to sign a contract extension.
Besides Chelsea, clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the former Ajax captain. Juventus have not received any official offers for the defender but might sell him this summer if a concrete offer is received.
De Ligt will have just one year left on his deal in 2023 with the Turin giants if he remains at the club without extending his deal.
Chelsea need Matthijs de Ligt's services more than Manchester United and Liverpool
Chelsea are deeply in need of defensive reinforcements, with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen having left the club earlier this month.
Thomas Tuchel will intensify his search for centre-backs and the club have been linked with the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Jules Kounde and Milan Skriniar.
Matthijs de Ligt is likely to slot straight into the first-team at Stamford Bridge, which might not be the case at the other clubs linked with him.
Liverpool already have an established backline, with Virgil van Dijk partnered by either Ibrahima Konate or Joel Matip. Jurgen Klopp is unlikely to go all out for a marquee defensive signing, with the club having already spent big on Darwin Nunez's arrival.
Manchester United, for their part, have struggled defensively and might scour the market for new centre-backs. Erik ten Hag's connection with De Ligt also gives them an edge, with the new United manager having coached the 2018 Golden Boy winner for two seasons at Ajax.
However, the Red Devils did not secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League and this could negatively affect their chances of landing their transfer targets.
