Arsenal have recently expressed interest in signing Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax. This move is most likely to happen if they ship out Mesut Ozil, somehow win the Europa League and manage to qualify for the Champions League. The likelihood of all the aforementioned happening has more convolutions than obtaining the 19 year old’s signature.
Matthijs De Ligt has started to establish himself on the top-level and all the major clubs in Europe are on the hunt to obtain his services. He has attracted serious interest from serial league winners like Barcelona, who want him to replace the ageing Gerard Pique.
Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City boss has also expressed the desire to sign this sensational defender from Ajax, maybe because a £200m defense wasn’t enough. Graduating from the Ajax academy, he has all the characteristics of a ball playing center-back.
Reports from the Daily Mail suggest that the Gunners have sent scouts to keep a tab on Matthijs De Ligt. It is no mystery that Arsenal are keen on bolstering their defense in the summer transfer window.
He could be the perfect partner for Rob Holding and be the anchor that the Gunners have been long waiting for. After experiencing problems in the back line due to injuries and out of form players, they would like to have a commanding center-back to assist Bernd Leno.
The January transfer window exposed the incompetency of the Arsenal board to sign players. The owner and his board are of the view that in the modern era it is still possible to compile a squad on a shoe-string budget.
Ajax will be definitely demanding a fee in the region of £70mn to part with their brightest young talent. With this deal being an absolute money ripper, it seems highly unlikely it will go through and Matthijs De Ligt landing at Emirates.
Only a fairy-tale chance or a sudden mood swing by the board can help the club in dealing with high-profile transfers.
