Barcelona are ‘one step away’ from completing the signing of Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt this summer, according to a report in Marca.
The 19-year-old has been the captain of the Amsterdam-based club for over a year and has starred for club and country.
Widely regarded as one of the best upcoming talents in world football, the central defender is set to command a €70m fee from Ajax.
The fresh report in Marca states that “the agreement with all parties is almost a fact” while it is said that salary will not be a major issue.
There has been hope at the Catalan club that the €85m agreement with Ajax teammate Frenkie de Jong would help persuade his compatriot to join the Camp Nou.
De Ligt starred in his side’s run to the Champions League semi-finals, heading in the winner in the quarter-finals at Juventus before also netting in the last four against Tottenham.
Juventus and Bayern Munich are also both said to be monitoring the defender’s situation, with a summer move appearing increasingly likely.
