The future of Matthijs De Ligt will be one of the thorniest cases for Juventus next summer, and Barcelona will be in the mix. His agent Mino Raiola recently stated that the defender is “ready for the next step.” A €125M release clause in his contract will come into effect in July.
However, according to Spanish newspaper Sport, the price tag would be lower for the Bluagrana. Due to a gentleman’s agreement, they would be able to acquire him for just €75M. In the race to sign De Ligt from Ajax, the Bianconeri primarily bested Barcelona.
Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene had strong words after Raiola’s remarks: “Nowadays, many players seem more attached to their agents to their team. He is a great defender. They have to do their job, while we take care of ours.”
More than the fee, the wages of De Ligt could be an issue for Barcelona. He has a €8M base salary, the highest in Serie A, plus €4M add-ons. The Catalans recently purchased Ferran Torres from Manchester City for €55M partly thanks to a giant loan from Goldman Sachs. However, they have to keep their payroll in check to comply with La Liga’s parameters.
The Old Lady likely envisioned the Dutchman as Giorgio Chiellini’s heir when they acquired him. De Ligt originally prioritized Serie A to hone in on his defensive craft. However, financial problems have plagued Juventus too after the pandemic. To the point that they are considering selling him to foot their pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic.