MATTHIJS DE LIGT will be available for £130million next summer, according to reports.
The Juventus defender, 21, is thought to have a release clause in his contract.
But according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, it does not kick in until July 2022.
And that could have the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona on red alert to make a major swoop at the end of next season.
De Ligt joined Juventus from Ajax for £67.5m in 2019 and is seen as a key player at the Allianz Stadium.
He has made 64 appearances for the Serie A club since penning the five-year contract and settling quickly in Turin.
The Dutch star is seen as a leader in the heart of the defence and could see the Juve back line built around him for the next decade.
But the crippling financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Old Lady hard.
Sales are expected this summer with Paulo Dybala and even Cristiano Ronaldo potentially axed to raise cash.
And should Juve’s accounts fail to recover and no new contract sorted to take the release clause out, they may be forced to let 2018 Golden Boy De Ligt go.
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Spanish outlet Todofichajes claimed in March United have made signing the centre-half their ‘top priority’.
It’s said the Old Trafford brass have opted to pursue De Ligt’s signature after deciding against moves for Real Madrid duo Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane.
But they would have to smash their own world-record fee paid for a defender after splashing out £85m on Harry Maguire in 2019.
Barcelona were heavily linked with De Ligt before he joined Juventus.
The Catalan giants signed his close pal and Ajax team-mate Frenkie de Jong in the same summer and Ronald Koeman would be desperate to reunite them at the Nou Camp.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
