Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan has revealed that Liverpool would be needing to spend big money to the agent of Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt to secure his signature this summer.
De Ligt has become one of the most in demand players in European football, following the 19-year-old enjoying an exceptional campaign for Ajax last term, helping the club secure a domestic double winning the Eredivisie title and Dutch Cup, as well as being instrumental in the club’s surprising run to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Liverpool are one of a number of major European teams to have been linked with a potential move for the centre-back this summer, but Kraan has suggested Liverpool would have to pay huge money not just to Ajax, but also to the defender’s agent Mino Raiola to secure any potential deal.
“It only can be if De Ligt’s agent, Mino Raiola gets the money he wants from Liverpool for himself. But the chance the stays at Ajax is zero. The wages of De Ligt are going to be big and there are more clubs who can fill that in – Juventus and Barcelona,” Kraan told TalkSPORT.
OPINION
Kraan’s comments would appear to effectively end Liverpool’s hopes of signing De Ligt this summer if they are accurate. The Reds are very unlikely to be wanting to invest significant funds in the transfer market during the summer window, with Klopp content with his squad which has managed to secure the Champions League and push Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race. Therefore, Liverpool are highly unlikely to be willing to pay the sort of money needed to pay De Ligt’s agent as well as the Netherlands international’s wages, and that would probably be the most logical decision for the Reds. Liverpool already have a young and talented centre-back in Joe Gomez with the potential to grow into an excellent defender for the club for many years to come, and with PFA Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk also at Anfield,the lack of an urgent need for a central defender would not justify spending soo much money on De Ligt this summer. The 19-year-old is much more likely to sign for either Juventus or Barcelona as Kraan has suggested than completing a move to Liverpool during the transfer window.
