Advertisement
Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Teen Idol

19-year-old Ajax captain de Ligt undecided on future amid Barca and Premier League links

The youngster is an ‘extraordinary talent,’ according to team-mate and ex-Man United defender Daley Blind.

AJAX CAPTAIN MATTHIJS de Ligt insisted he was still assessing his future amid links to Barcelona and the Premier League.

De Ligt, 19, is widely expected to leave Ajax – who sealed the Eredivisie title on Wednesday – in the off-season.

The centre-back has been linked to the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

But after Ajax beat De Graafschap 4-1 for their first league title since 2014, De Ligt said he needed time to consider his future.

“This is not the time to talk about my future,” he told Fox Sports.

“I don’t know if I will go with Frenkie de Jong [to Barcelona]. I still have to analyse things and see everything. We’ll see what happens.

“I cannot say anything. We’ll see at the end of summer. There is nothing yet.”

Ajax’s league triumph saw them claim a domestic double after also winning the KNVB Beker, easing some of the pain following their Champions League semi-final exit.

De Ligt was delighted with Ajax’s campaign, saying: “It is indescribable. We have been craving this for five years.

“I enjoyed the cup, the competition, the Champions League and especially the team spirit.”

Team-mate and former Manchester United star Daley Blind hailed de Ligt as an “extraordinary talent” after they clinched the title.

“Not only as a captain was he important to us,” he said after the win over De Graafschap that sealed the deal, “it’s also about his personality.

“He is a leading figure in the squad. He can guide the team in hard times. But if he wasn’t one of the best, others were. I think that’s how we complemented each other as a team.

“But he’s an extraordinary talent, that’s obvious.”

Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:

Your Voice
Readers Comments
32
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel