Chelsea willing to go ‘crazy’ for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt
According to La Repubblica, via Sport Witness (h/t Mirror), Chelsea are “willing to go crazy” to sign Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt TheDutch international has been linked with a move away from Italy.
de Ligt moved to Juventus in the summer of 2019, following an excellent couple of seasons with Ajax Amsterdam and leading them to the UEFA Champions League the previous season. He remains the only defender to win the coveted Golden Boy award, which is a testament to his abilities as a footballer.
The 22-year-old is one of the finest young defenders in the game and is valued at a pricey €65m. With the winter transfer window open, de Ligt has been linked with a move away from Turin, and Chelsea are among the teams interested in him.
Chelsea are facing the prospect of a defensive reshuffle at the end of the season, with senior stars Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Andreas Christensen all out of contract in the summer. Contract negotiations are taking place behind the scenes at the club, but there have been no recent updates regarding any progress being made in the situation.
It is no secret that the Blues are dealing with a defensive crisis this season, with stalled contract negotiations, long-term injuries, and Covid concerns all coming together at the worst possible time for the club. The Stamford Bridge club is scouting for potential defensive reinforcements but has yet to move in the transfer window.
Chelsea face competition from several European giants for the Juventus defender. Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also linked with the player, and the latter appears to have an edge in the race should they cough up the required funds to land him.
Winds of change!
Juventus’s stay at the top of the Italian football pyramid has been usurped in the last two seasons, and the Turin giants have seen a fall from grace. They current occupy fifth place in Serie A and face a real fight on their hands to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League. de Ligt has a better chance of winning regular trophies elsewhere, which remains a cause for his potential departure.
The Dutchman need not look any further than Chelsea, the reigning European champions. The arrival of Thomas Tuchel has changed the club’s fortunes and seen them establish their credentials as challengers for the biggest trophies.
The German tactician led the Blues to the UEFA Super Cup earlier this season and will compete in next month’s Carabao Cup final and the FIFA Club World Cup. There is no reason why Tuchel cannot continue leading Chelsea to more trophies, provided he brings in the right players.
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Given our current defensive crisis, the Dutch superstar would be a perfect fit for us. In the improbable event that we lose our three senior defenders this summer, Chelsea will have a ready replacement in de Ligt, who has proved himself not only to be one of the world’s best young centre-backs but also a strong leader.
He led his boyhood club Ajax to a league double in his final season in the Netherlands, and the time may be rife for him to don the captain’s armband once again. Just 22, Chelsea could very well be landing their defensive lynchpin for the upcoming decade.
Despite his age, de Ligt is an experienced defender and has already enjoyed success in two top European leagues. He now has the opportunity to move to England and play for one of the best teams in Europe at Chelsea. A solid rearguard has been the foundation behind Tuchel’s success at Stamford Bridge, and in de Ligt, he would be landing himself a solid addition.
