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Barcelona could easily find cheaper alternatives to Matthijs de Ligt

By Chiranjib Ghosh

Ruben Dias of SL Benfica during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 match between Galatasaray SK and SL Benfica at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi on February 14, 2019 in Istanbul, Turkey.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Ruben Dias of SL Benfica during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 match between Galatasaray SK and SL Benfica at Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi on February 14, 2019 in Istanbul, Turkey.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images) /
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Matthijs de Ligt is a tad too expensive to be a reasonable signing for Barcelona

Undoubtedly, Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt is one of the best defenders in Europe. At the age of 18, that is a remarkable feat. Barcelona are interested in signing him in the upcoming summer transfer window, but Ajax are placing a very high value on him.

Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars has admitted that the 18-year old Dutch centre-back is likely to leave, but they will not be accepting anything less than the fee Barça paid for his teammate, Frenkie de Jong, €75 million.

That is hardly a reasonable fee for a centre-back who is yet to feature in one of Europe’s top leagues, despite his huge potential. Moreover, there are plenty of alternatives in the transfer market who are similarly highly-rated and less expensive.

Along with Porto counterpart Éder Militão, Rúben Dias has been the standout defensive performer in the Primeira Liga this season. The Benfica man has attracted interest from Manchester United, Juventus and Arsenal because of his displays this season.

Dias has made 41 appearances in all competitions, picking up 2 goals and providing 3 assists. He has made an enormous improvement from last season, succeeding Benfica legend Luisão in the first-team after his retirement.

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Rúben Dias is good in the air, winning an average of 3.4 aerial duels per game. His passing is immaculate. He has a violent streak, and has received 35 yellow cards and 4 red cards in his short career. But that is something that he can overcome with time.

Dias has a similar skill-set to Gerard Piqué, and could be a successor to the club legend. Another option is Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi. The young Switzerland international has shown significant growth this season.

Elvedi has gradually improved since being called up to the first-team squad following his move from FC Zürich. After the departure of Jannik Vestergaard last summer, the 22-year old centre-back has shown maturity at the back.

The youngster has a passing accuracy of 92%, which is excellent. He is also good in the air, and likes to play the ball out of the defence. Elvedi is also very disciplined at the back, and has received just a single booking in all competitions this season.

Between these two players, Rúben Dias has more experience in Europe and would find it easier to adapt to conditions in Spain. But Nico Elvedi is also a very good option. Both players are cheaper than De Ligt, and have the same potential that he does.

Next. Todibo could be moved into midfield to accommodate De Ligt. dark

Barça should consider scouting these two starlets, considering the fact that the centre-forward position is going to require significant investment in the air. The club will probably need to find a backup for Jordi Alba also, if Marc Cucurella gets offloaded.