Juventus set to win Matthijs de Ligt transfer battle

We've seen a few transfer sagas over the course of the summer but one that refuses to go away is that of Matthijs de Ligt, perhaps until now.

The Ajax captain is one of the hottest properties in European football after an immense season for both club & country. This has led to a host of elite sides slogging it out for his signature with the likes of PSG, Liverpool, Barcelona and Manchester United all reportedly interested in him.

The Eredivise side aren't standing in the way of their skipper leaving the Johan Cruyff Arena and it appears that his next move may be secured, with Serie A giants Juventus in the driving seat.

The Old Lady have come in pretty late for the Dutchman with him looking nailed on for a move to Barcelona for the majority of the window, but the Turin club have the funds to get this blockbuster deal over the line and what a transfer it could be.

Ajax are set to receive transfer fee in the region of £70m for his services, whilst the player himself has been offered a five-year contract worth a jaw-dropping £21.6m a year according to The Guardian. Incredible numbers for a 19 year-old.

Juventus have worked hard to put a deal together and it hasn't been easy, with de Ligt represented by the controversial Mino Raiola who the Serie A club know well from the Paul Pogba saga that saw him move to Manchester United in 2016.

Rumours of de Ligt signing for Juventus first came about when the Netherlands were beaten by Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final. Where at the full-time whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo spoke to him in a bid to get him to join the club, a tactic that appears to have worked.

But it's not just de Ligt who they're focusing on, Juventus are expected to be busy in the transfer window with Paris-Saint Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot to arrive on a free transfer, along with a shock return for the legendary Gianluigi Buffon which will go down an absolute treat with the fans.

Juventus are in the midst of a new exciting era at the club following on from the departure of the hugely successful Massimiliano Allegri. Former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is now the man at the helm and we're expecting big changes in terms of playing style, but Juve fans will be hoping that doesn't mean a drop in the amount of silverware heading to the Allianz Stadium.

Completing the signing of de Ligt will certainly be a big step in the right direction and he looks like an excellent purchase on paper. Juventus have always been widely renowned for their defensive superiority with Leonardo Bonucci and Georginio Chiellini at the heart of it, but with the pair now approaching the twilight of their careers, Sarri needs to think about long-term replacements.

In Daniele Rugani they have a superb young defender who can step up, but de Ligt looks like he's on a different level to the Italian. Despite being just 19 years-old he's skippered Ajax to a domestic double along with getting within a whisker of qualifying for the Champions League final.

He has all the qualities you want in a modern day centre half, composed on the ball, dominant in the air, a physical presence and a leader. So all this combined with his experience makes it easy to see why he's so in demand. If this move gets over the line, he could easily become Juve captain one day, he's that good.

Despite Juventus being one of European footballs biggest clubs, completing this transfer would be seen as some of a coup. For months he's been nailed on for a transfer to Barcelona, then big spending Paris-Saint Germain who have the funds to blow any team out the water.

PSG's offer is believed to eclipse the one that Juventus offered the 19 year-old but he has reservations about playing in Ligue 1, which isn't the most competitive of divisions. The Parisians have won the top flight in 6 of the previous 7 seasons and it's regarded by many as a 'farmers league', which causes much debate on social media.

Barcelona's always been believed to have been his first choice destination. His compatriot Frenkie De Jong moved there this summer and he's keen to link up with his former teammate, but the Catalonian's weren't willing to give into Raiola's outrageous demands with them believed to be pursuing huge deals for Neymar and Antoine Griezmann instead.

So Juventus looks like his destination. He's going to cost them an arm and a leg but what a signing he could turn out to be. He has the potential to become a Juve legend but one slightly concerning piece of news for the fans is his £134m release clause. It's a huge amount of money but with us seeing Atletico Madrid sign 19 year-old Joao Felix for €120m, de Ligt would certainly be attainable for top clubs if he's a success in Turin.

This has perhaps been put in so he can one day secure that move to Barcelona one day. But nevertheless he looks like a fantastic signing and the perfect heir to the Chiellini throne.

Are we finally set to wave goodbye to the summers longest transfer saga? We bloody hope so.