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Barcelona’s lost target is now desperate for a Real Madrid move

By Atharva Khadilkar

Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane smiles during a press conference on the eve of the Spanish Super Cup final match, at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Sports city stadium in the Red Sea port of Jeddah, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)
Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane smiles during a press conference on the eve of the Spanish Super Cup final match, at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Sports city stadium in the Red Sea port of Jeddah, on January 11, 2020. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Barcelona lost out one of the most in-demand players in Europe last summer and he may finally move to Spain, but to Real Madrid, in transfer window.

Ajax Amsterdam superstar Matthijs de Ligt had a fabulous season in the Netherlands in 2018-19. The 21 year old captained his side to a domestic double as well as the semi-final of the Champions League, where Erik ten Hag’s side claimed the famous scalps of Real Madrid and Juventus in the knockout rounds. His performances saw him become a Barcelona target.

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Frenkie de Jong, perhaps Ajax Amsterdam’s best player of the campaign closed in on a transfer to the Camp Nou in January 2019 and signed his contract with the club from July. The Netherlands international cost the club 75 million euros and is repaying every penny spent. However, Barca even wanted to sign de Ligt and were close to doing so.

Matthijs de Ligt was valued at 80 million euros by Ajax Amsterdam, a figure which Barca were ready to pay. However, Mino Raiola’s agency demands and the player’s salary benchmark saw the move breakdown as Juventus capitalized and signed the young central defender. Things have not gone well for de Ligt at Turin as he seems unsettled there.

Diario GOL has stated that just one year after his lucrative transfer to the Serie A, the Netherlands international is going to consider offers to depart preferably from Spanish clubs. This time it has been said that in spite of Barcelona’s renewed interest in his services, the player desperately wants to go to Real Madrid and is even feeling guilty for rejecting the Merengues’ advances last summer.

Having said that, Real Madrid are anyways in need of a centre-back with Sergio Ramos growing old and Nacho too reaching his 30s. Eder Militao has not been all that convincing beside Raphael Varane and thus, it is imperative that a club brings in someone of proven quality. De Ligt’s skillsets match those of Ramos and he’d be a fantastic signing for Madrid.

Barca would have suffered a major blow if their primary defensive target chooses Real Madrid. Matthijs de Ligt is a player who can fit effortlessly into the Catalans’ system and also a cheaper and younger alternatives to the likes of Milan Skriniar and Kalidou Koulibaly. De Ligt’s decision seems influenced by the board’s incompetence at the Camp Nou and if that’s indeed the reason, the player has all the right to ditch the Blaugrana.

Next. Real Madrid beat Barcelona as favourites for Neymar. dark

Who do you think should be a central defender’s signing at Barcelona?

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