Matthijs de Ligt is all set to be a Bayern Munich player after the German champions agreed a deal of an initial €70m, plus €10m in add-ons, with Juventus for the defender. The 22-year-old Netherlands international will pen a five-year contract until the summer of 2027.
The €50m sale of Robert Lewandowski to Barcelona has helped finance the move for De Ligt, whose transfer will match the club-record €80m purchase of Lucas Hernandez in 2019. The Dutchman had previously been heavily linked with Chelsea, before Bayern hijacked the deal.
De Ligt began his youth career at Ajax before breaking into the first team in 2016 at the age of 17. He became known as a prodigy, becoming the first defender to win the Golden Boy award in 2018. His strong displays earned him a move to Juventus in 2019.
During his three seasons at the Serie A club, the defender made 117 appearances, establishing himself in the starting lineup. He won the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana with the Turin club.
De Ligt has been capped 38 times by the Netherlands. On his senior debut, he became the youngest player to start for the national team since 1931. While playing at Euro 2020, it was his dismissal after a handball that led to the Netherlands losing to the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals and crashing out of the competition.
As a right-footed defender, De Ligt is both physically and technically gifted, showing clean tackling, speed, accurate passing and great anticipation. He is considered to be a natural leader, having captained Ajax in the Champions League at the tender age of 19.
De Ligt is Bayern’s second Dutch signing of the summer, the Bavarians having brought in young midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Ajax earlier. They have also signed Senegalese superstar Sadio Mane from Liverpool and right-back Noussair Mazraoui, also from Ajax.
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