Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56

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Why does everyone rate this kid so much?

He’s been in the Dutch league all his life. Sure Ajax did well this year in the CL, but Blind and Tadic were some of their best players and they’re not cut out for the PL.

Is there not a massive concern that he will flop? I say this as someone who has not watched a Dutch league game all year.
 
Wumminator said:
Why does everyone rate this kid so much?

He’s been in the Dutch league all his life. Sure Ajax did well this year in the CL, but Blind and Tadic were some of their best players and they’re not cut out for the PL.

Is there not a massive concern that he will flop? I say this as someone who has not watched a Dutch league game all year.
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Then leave the judgement to the many, many experts on this forum :p
 
Wumminator said:
Why does everyone rate this kid so much?
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No obvious weaknesses apart from being blonde.

Very rare to find a complete defender, especially for his age, most great distributors are lacking elsewhere and vice-versa. He seems great at everything.
His good performances for his national team and in the Champions League, his seemingly great character in terms of leadership and maturity, as well as Ajax apparently not being stubborn about the fee all make him a very compelling signing.
 
Raoul said:
This would
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Wumminator said:
Why does everyone rate this kid so much?

He’s been in the Dutch league all his life. Sure Ajax did well this year in the CL, but Blind and Tadic were some of their best players and they’re not cut out for the PL.

Is there not a massive concern that he will flop? I say this as someone who has not watched a Dutch league game all year.
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I've rated since him ever since he was the epitome of calmness and composure against us in the EL final. Forget his age, he's already ready made for the top level. Hence we probably value him instantly as one of the top earners should he come here.
 
Wumminator said:
Why does everyone rate this kid so much?

He’s been in the Dutch league all his life. Sure Ajax did well this year in the CL, but Blind and Tadic were some of their best players and they’re not cut out for the PL.

Is there not a massive concern that he will flop? I say this as someone who has not watched a Dutch league game all year.
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Its not about the league,its about the player,the tactics and formation that suits them.RVN,suarez,brazillian ronaldo etc all coming from dutch league.
 
Redstar7 said:
Its not about the league,its about the player,the tactics and formation that suits them.RVN,suarez,brazillian ronaldo etc all coming from dutch league.
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I mean, it is most definitely also about the league. If the league is a relatively easy league, they’re gonna look a lot better.
 
Werder Herzog said:
If he comes to England it will be to city, scouring this thread has been hilarious. Why on earth would he come to us? We are crap.
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Where would you go if you had the choice between Gerard Pique and Phil Jones next to you?
A Europa League rebuild under an unproven manager is a very tempting prospect, as many in this thread have already mentioned.
 
Spielmacher said:
Where would you go if you had the choice between Gerard Pique and Phil Jones next to you?
A Europa League rebuild under an unproven manager is a very tempting prospect, as many in this thread have already mentioned.
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Even if that is the case and he sees us as an attractive proposition in that sense, have we not learned anything from Woodward and his dealings with the fat pizza man- it's a case of 'go there for a few years and we will move you on- and if things go wrong i still get my huge agent fee and we can start disturbing the dressing room ala pogba where every day there is a new story to unsettle the club'- i don't care how much his head is screwed on Raiola is only in the business for himself - so unless he has cojones like Lukaku to drop him we are dealing with the devil again, once bitten twice shy and all that.
 
I'd rather have 3 or 4 years with de Ligt than 3 or 4 years without. And if the plan is to move him on, then at least with fatty in charge we know we'll get a huge fee for him (because huge fees are all Raiola knows)
 
Adnan said:
@Ajaxsuarez @KirkDuyt @Gate99 @dutchred @Dolf @Kevin @ArjenIsM3 and plenty more.
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I'd say judging him of Dutch league appearances is a bit moot. Of course he is going to boss everyone in there. However, he's shown in both the nation's league and CL that he's the real deal if you ask me. Scoring a last minute winning header against Juve in that fashion at that age is fecking special. And he showed against Spurs that it wasn't a fluke either. He's strong, can play ball and, not at all unimportant, is a very level headed and intelligent guy. His post match inteviews might be the thing about him that impresses me most. In a world full of Memphis Depays, Jesse Lingards and Joey Bartons a normal, polite and intelligent kid is a fecking revelation.

I post this with the disclaimer that I long screamed overrated about De Ligt since he plays for Ajax and us Feyenoorders don't rate Ajax players, but feck, this kid's really really good.

My few cents.
 
Werder Herzog said:
Even if that is the case and he sees us as an attractive proposition in that sense, have we not learned anything from Woodward and his dealings with the fat pizza man- it's a case of 'go there for a few years and we will move you on- and if things go wrong i still get my huge agent fee and we can start disturbing the dressing room ala pogba where every day there is a new story to unsettle the club'- i don't care how much his head is screwed on Raiola is only in the business for himself - so unless he has cojones like Lukaku to drop him we are dealing with the devil again, once bitten twice shy and all that.
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We really don't know how much of the Pogba talk in the media is speculation, I'd guess a lot of it, he just sells papers, when City won the league he made the frontpage for being abused by a fan. Ole has also mentioned that he sees him as an integral part of his plans.

Also, my post was sarcasm, no reason to get crazy like @Pexbo in 2014 when he thought Vidal was ON.
The muppetry is entertaining to observe though, we must admit.
 
Kostov said:
Can Barca really buy Griezmann and de Ligt both this summer on top of de Jong?
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Yes. It's actually 'only' about £240m for the three which I think is spendable outright for teams like Real, Barca, PSG, City, and ourselves. However, I am sure they will sell at least one big player (like Coutinho) and another one or two on top that will recoup over £100m. Their net spend won't be anything ridiculous IMO.
 
Havak said:
Yes. It's actually 'only' about £240m for the three which I think is spendable outright for teams like Real, Barca, PSG, City, and ourselves. However, I am sure they will sell at least one big player (like Coutinho) and another one or two on top that will recoup over £100m. Their net spend won't be anything ridiculous IMO.
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They're borrowing to pay their wage bill. None of those other teams are. That is a massive problem.
 
Havak said:
Yes. It's actually 'only' about £240m for the three which I think is spendable outright for teams like Real, Barca, PSG, City, and ourselves. However, I am sure they will sell at least one big player (like Coutinho) and another one or two on top that will recoup over £100m. Their net spend won't be anything ridiculous IMO.
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Who would really buy Coutinho for over £100m? PSG? Not anyone else.

I don’t think Barcelona is worried about the transfer fee, it’s the wages. Top that of with a hefty contract for Griezmann and that they are already borrowing money for the wages. They cannot afford both.

I think it’s silly for them to buy him. Pique had a great season and will at least play for another couple years. Lenglet is good. Umtiti is injury prone but he great and Tobido is a solid prospect. It’s just overkill for them to buy, especially when they already have to borrow money.
 
I would love to see De Ligt here but I dont think its happening.

This will turn out into one of those "chased him all summer but eventually he signs for Barca for half the price we offered" type stories.
 
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I doubt he will come to be honest. We're an absolute shambles at the moment. He could have his pick of many clubs around Europe.
 
marukomu said:
I doubt he will come to be honest. We're an absolute shambles at the moment. He could have his pick of many clubs around Europe.
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Yep, especially since Ajax aren't trying to auction him off to the highest bidder. They'll take £70 mil for him and for a 19 year old player with such confidence and leadership qualities thats a no-brainer to anyone in the market for a defender.
 
He will come. Barca is "broke," the Germans are cheap, and we will throw fek you money on the guy, and his agent will convince him that he can always play for one of the other clubs in a few years.
 
marukomu said:
I doubt he will come to be honest. We're an absolute shambles at the moment. He could have his pick of many clubs around Europe.
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It's a new season, we are a couple of signings away from looking transformed IMO.

Add De Ligt, Wan Bissaka, James, get the squad fitter and get more out of Martial/Rashford
 
Is there a logical reason why City are not in for him if he is available indeed? Raiola might be such a reason but they signed a Raiola client last summer (a Dutch defender who didn't play much). City's net spending last season was 20m or something, they have a lot of money for new players.
 
Treble said:
Is there a logical reason why City are not in for him if he is available indeed? Raiola might be such a reason but they signed a Raiola client last summer (a Dutch defender who didn't play much). City's net spending last season was 20m or something, they have a lot of money for new players.
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What makes you think that City aren't in for him? They have reportedly been tracking him for a long time. If he does not go to Barcelona, they would probably be the favourites (given their CB situation).
 
Treble said:
Is there a logical reason why City are not in for him if he is available indeed? Raiola might be such a reason but they signed a Raiola client last summer (a Dutch defender who didn't play much). City's net spending last season was 20m or something, they have a lot of money for new players.
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They apparently are, but if his wage demands are true, City wouldn't pay that.
 
Treble said:
Is there a logical reason why City are not in for him if he is available indeed? Raiola might be such a reason but they signed a Raiola client last summer (a Dutch defender who didn't play much). City's net spending last season was 20m or something, they have a lot of money for new players.
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I think they are. I mean, why wouldn't they be?
 
Barca are stumbling, they thought they had it nice it and easy and they were all he wanted.

Now they need to stump up for him, they’ve got major reservations. An already large wage bill, for which they’re already taking out loans on coupled with the wages of De Jong and Griezmann to add onto it, isn’t a prospect they fancy.

It’s also a position they’re well stocked in and not a priority for them.

All of the above leading them to brief the press he’s chosen money because they don’t want the backlash of their fans.

He’s all ours :drool:
 
Treble said:
Don't believe this. They don't think he is available, that's all.
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Maybe think he is not available as they have to break their wage structure and he won't agree for lower wages than offered elsewhere.
 
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