The Matthijs de Ligt transfer saga continues to rumble on, and we still have very little clue as to where the Dutchman will be playing his football next season. The Ajax captain announced he would leave the club this summer, but no deal has been struck by any of the various interested parties at this early stage.
The 19-year old defender is the hottest property on the transfer market, and has been courted by most of the biggest clubs on the continent. Barcelona were favourites for his signature, while Manchester United and Liverpool were also believed to have a chance of signing the youngster.
However according to a report today, the player could now be leaning towards a move to Ligue 1.
Miguel Delaney of The Independent has reported that PSG have offered the player a monstrous pay package, blowing away the offers he has received from other clubs. It is believed Manchester United had offered the player a deal worth £350,000 per-week, but the French club's offer is superior to even that.
Ajax will not try to ignite a bidding for de Ligt's services, and will leave the transfer up to the player himself.
It was expected he would follow team mate Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona, with the midfielder having turned down the advances of PSG to move to La Liga. However, the Catalan club's financial offer has fallen well short of what was expected by de Ligt's agent Mino Raiola.
This has apparently opened the door for other teams to make a move for the defender. Manchester United had been high on the list of possibilities, but this PSG offer is sure to cast major doubts over a potential move to Old Trafford.
De Ligt was asked about his future after The Netherlands' loss in the Nations League final last night, to which he responded:
I don’t know, I don’t know. Now I am going on vacation and I just take a rest, relax and then I will see.
When you rest, you have enough time to think so that’s good.
Perhaps the 19-year old sees PSG as the best destination for his footballing development, but it would be disappointing to see a young player of his prodigious talent pick his next club solely from a financial standpoint.
We are sure to get a clearer picture on where he stands in the next few weeks.
