Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt agrees to join Italian champions Juventus, according to a report

Sky Italia reported on Saturday that the Ajax captain, 19, will join the Serie A champions ahead of the 2019/20 season

epa07631386 Matthijs de Ligt of the Netherlands celebrates after scoring the 1-1 equalizer during the UEFA Nations League semi final soccer match between the Netherlands and England at D. Afonso Henriques stadium in Guimaraes, Portugal, 06 June 2019.  EPA/HUGO DELGADO
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Ajax and Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt has agreed to join Italian champions Juventus, according to a report.

Sky Italia reported on Saturday that the Ajax captain, 19, will join the Serie A champions ahead of the 2019/20 season.

According to the report, Juventus will pay Ajax £62 million pounds (Dh290m) for the Ajax captain, 19, who was one of the key players in the Dutch side's thrilling run to the Champions League semi-finals, knocking out Juve at the quarter-final stage.

De Ligt is one of the most in-demand young players in Europe, with Barcelona and Manchester United among his many suitors.

As captain De Ligt helped the Amsterdam club win the Dutch league-and-cup double last season.

He revealed last week that Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo approached him after Netherlands' 1-0 defeat in the Uefa Nations League final about joining him in Turin next season.

"I didn't understand him at first. I was a little shocked, so I laughed. But I didn't say anything," De Ligt told the Netherlands' NOS television.

"So soon after the game you are not at all concerned with it. You are disappointed that you have lost and that is the only thing you are thinking about."

Last week Italian Maurizio Sarri agreed to takeover as manager at Juventus from Max Allegri after one season at Chelsea.

Should the transfer go through, De Ligt will be the second new arrival at the perennial Italian champions, who secured an eighth straight scudetto last term, this usmmer after Aaron Ramsey joined on a free transfer from Arsenal.

De Ligt broke into the Ajax first team aged 17 in 2016, becoming a regular starter the following season and soon became the most coveted defender in Europe thanks to his strength, anticipation and ability on the ball.

He played 90 minutes in 17 of 18 matches and scored three times in Ajax's Champions League campaign, which culminated in an agonising semi-final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on away goals.

The breakup of Erik ten Hag's young team had already begun before the season ended with midfielder Frenkie de Jong agreeing to join Barcelona next month.