Possible agreement between Ajax and Barça for de Ligt

Matthijs de Ligt's majestic peformance up against Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus confirmed what many already suspected - the Dutchman is not just a promising defender but is already an elite talent at a continental level. Strong in the air, no-nonsense when necessary and tactically astute, the 19 year-old is beginning to justify the hefty price tag that Ajax have slapped on his services.

Per ESPN, Barcelona lead the race to sign the centre-back, who has already hinted that a move to the La Liga champions would interest him.

As the American sports broadcasters are reporting, the 'azulgrana' will need to pay 80 million euros to prise away de Ligt from the Champions League semi-finalists - a notably larger fee than what Barça paid for fellow Ajax player Frenkie de Jong a few months ago.

De Ligt's younger age, 19 compared to de Jong's 21, will contribute to this inflated fee, despite the fact both players are widely regarded to have similar potential.

It is also worth pointing out that de Ligt is captain of Ajax and is a target for many of Europe's biggest sides. In addition to the 39 appearances he made last season and the 23 he made as a 17 year-old the season before that, the defender has featured 44 times so far this campaign.

Barça would be looking to reinforce their defense for years to come with the capture of the Dutch international, who can also play in midfield, as Gerard Pique enters the twilight of his career and doubts surround Samuel Umtiti's future.