Matthijs De Ligt might not stay at Juventus for the long haul, especially if they did not qualify for the Champions League. His agent Mino Raiola stated that: “He is ready for the next step, and I believe he thinks it too.” The 22-year-old is under contract until 2024.
The representative defended himself in an interview with Dutch newspaper NRC: “I go at bat for my players. That does not mean that I want to destroy clubs, as many people think. I care about protecting my clients and their economic interests.”
Raiola added: “De Ligt really wanted to go to Juventus two years ago, but Ajax continuously raised his price. My role is to intercede between players and teams. I try to make them meet halfway so they can both benefit. I never forced anybody to do anything.”
The center-back is currently the highest-paid player in the Bianconeri squad following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and earns €8M per season. The Old Lady bested most of the European powerhouses to sign him in 2019, paying a hefty €85M fee.
There would be no shortage of suitors if De Ligt really wanted to leave Juventus. Chelsea and Barcelona have insistently been linked to him in recent windows. Other top teams would be in the mix as well. The Bianconeri are currently six points behind the fourth-placed Atalanta. The Dutch defender has accumulated 94 appearances since moving to Turin, scoring 6 goals and winning one Scudetto, one Coppa Italia, and one Supercoppa.