Real Madrid have reportedly set their sights on signing 22-year-old Dutch defender from Serie A heavyweights Juventus.
According to a report by Italian outlet calciomercato.it, Real Madrid are keen on signing Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus. However, the report suggests the potentiality of a ridiculous swap deal involving the 22-year-old and Federico Valverde, who they will be ready to offer to the Serie A giants.
Matthijs de Ligt has long been regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe. The 22-year-old first rose to prominence in his homeland, becoming the Ajax captain while still in his teens, with the Dutch giants reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals during his tenure.
The player joined Juventus in the summer of 2019 and has since established himself as one of the best defenders on show in Serie A. To date, de Ligt has made 78 appearances for the Bianconeri, chipping in with five goals and two assists along the way. His progress has alerted a number of top clubs across the continent over the years, with Real Madrid currently in his pursuit.
The interest from Real Madrid makes a world of sense, considering there is very little quality in the central defensive unit beyond Eder Militao, David Alaba and Nacho. With Nacho on the wrong side of 30, it is rather obvious that Los Blancos could do with a central defender by the time the summer transfer window opens next year.
As a result, Real Madrid have been linked with a number of centre-backs in recent times, including Antonio Rudiger, Aymeric Laporte and Niklas Sule among others. And, to that end, de Ligt is a viable target as well for the Spanish giants.
The report, though, mentions the possibility of a bizarre swap deal that would see Federico Valverde join Juventus, with de Ligt making his way to the Santiago Bernabeu. That is because the Merengues have signed Eduardo Camavinga and are hopeful of landing Paul Pogba, which would throw Valverde’s Real Madrid future in doubt.
What now remains to be seen is if Juventus are even open to the prospect of agreeing to a swap deal involving de Ligt and Valverde. For now, what appears to be certain is that the 22-year-old has popped up on Real Madrid’s radar, with a move likely to be made for him.