Matthijs de Ligt could join Jack Grealish in moving to Manchester United
Transfer stories during Covid-19
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy made his feelings clear on Tuesday regarding most transfer stories doing the rounds right now.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc worldwide, it’s difficult to pay any attention to most transfer rumours in the press.
How can football clubs pay hundreds of millions in transfer fees, when clubs are struggling to make payroll for their employees and people are dying in hospitals? As Daniel Levy said:
When I read or hear stories about player transfers this summer like nothing has happened, people need to wake up to the enormity of what is happening around us.
Yet, on Wednesday morning, rumours that Manchester United could sign Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus are spreading fast.
Matthijs de Ligt & Juventus
20-year-old Dutch centre-half Matthijs de Ligt joined Juve from Ajax last summer.
Juve shelled out £67.5 million on the defender.
De Ligt is under contract in Turin until 2024.
This season, De Ligt has played 20 Serie A matches for the Bianconeri and 27 times in all competitions.
The defender has scored twice in Serie A.
‘De Ligt hasn’t impressed at Juventus’
The assumption underpinning the Manchester United and Matthijs de Ligt transfer rumours is that the defender has underperformed at Juventus in his first season.
In the Times, who splash the De Ligt transfer story on their back page, readers are told the Dutch defender has been below-par in 2019-20:
It has been a mixed season for the Holland international at the Italian club, however. He was unexpectedly thrown into the Juventus team after Georgio Chiellini suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in August, and produced a number of poor performances.
Maurizio Sarri dropped De Ligt for Merih Demiral at the turn of the year and the Dutchman looked set for a long spell on the bench until the Turkish defender suffered a knee injury.
TIMES SPORT: Levy: players must take cuts #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/VltizopE8E
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 31, 2020
Could Juventus sell De Ligt this summer?
Buying into the claim that De Ligt hasn’t impressed in Italy so far, how likely is it that the club sell him this summer?
The Times note that De Ligt’s agent, Mino Raiola, has a record of moving his clients around after short periods at clubs.
Concurrently, reports have circled this week concerning Juve’s financial problems during the Covid-19 crisis.
While Juventus have already cut the wages of their players, Italian paper Il Messagero suggested this week that the Bianconeri could sell Cristiano Ronaldo to help balance their books.
If push came to shove, would Juve prefer to sell De Ligt instead of Ronaldo?
How much would Man United have to pay for De Ligt?
Unfortunately, the UK press fail to place a price tag around De Ligt’s head.
However, the Evening Standard suggest that Man United may try to include Paul Pogba in any deal for the defender:
(Man United’s) ongoing interest (in De Ligt) also raises the possibility of a part-exchange deal being struck over Paul Pogba.
Juve are among the clubs hoping to lure the France international away from Old Trafford this summer – but United have severe doubts that anyone will meet their £150m valuation.
It’s worth noting that Mino Raiola is also Pogba’s agent.
Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish & Jadon Sancho
Jack Grealish made headlines this week for all the wrong reasons as the Aston Villa star broke quarantine rules in England.
After telling his fans to stay home to avoid the spread of Covid-19, Grealish proceeded to have a car crash at 4 am after he went out to Ross McCormack’s house.
Aston Villa have since fined Grealish, however the Times on Tuesday believe that the midfielder may still join Man United this summer:
United have other targets when the transfer market reopens. Jadon Sancho is their first choice to fill the problematic right-wing position, and Jack Grealish is expected to arrive from Aston Villa to add competition in the midfield.
Also see: Best Netflix, Amazon & YouTube football documentaries & movies to watch during coronavirus isolation.
Best football podcasts to listen to during coronavirus quarantine.
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