Barcelona & Matthijs de Ligt Set Target Date to Complete Transfer Following Latest Meeting
By Ben Carter
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu held talks with the decision makers at Ajax this week to discuss their interest in signing defender Matthijs de Ligt at the end of the season.
The La Liga champions have already wrapped up a deal for de Ligt's teammate Frenkie de Jong, but Barça now want to speed up negotiations for Ajax's 19-year-old centre-back.
Sport claims that Bartomeu, accompanied by CEO Òscar Grau, travelled to Holland for the General Assembly of the ECA (European Club Association) but also to hold discussions with Ajax chief Edwin van der Sar over de Ligt's future.
Barcelona have already made it clear that they want to go into negotiations with Ajax, while Sport adds that de Ligt himself wants to finalise his move to the Camp Nou before their Champions League quarter-final match against Juventus.
Although it's believed that de Ligt is pushing to join de Jong at Barcelona next season, the teenager has stressed that he's only focusing on Ajax's chances in the Eredivisie and Champions League this season.
Barcelona's rebuild is going under the radar, come summer they could have Luka Jović and Matthijs de Ligt in the bag and the likes of Ousmane Dembele, Phil Coutinho, Arturo Vidal, Malcom, Arthur, Clement Lenglet and Frenkie de Jong have all been signed over the last 18 months.
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"My name comes out in the media but I'm focused on playing," de Ligt said, quoted by Sport. "I'm concentrating on that and there's nothing that worries me. That's the important thing.
"I have no preferences. It's what I have said, I am focused on Ajax and the national team, gaining experience. And I am really happy."
De Ligt has made 42 appearances with Ajax this season but once again they look set to miss out on winning the league title season, having last lifted the Eredivisie trophy in 2014.
They're also outsiders in the Champions League, but they could win their domestic cup as they've reached the final where they'll face a dangerous Willem II side who most recently claimed all three points away at Feyenoord.