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Juventus win De Ligt sweepstakes

Daniele Badolato - Juventus FC / Juventus FC / Getty

Italian champions Juventus have won the race to sign coveted Dutch central defender Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax.

The Old Lady confirmed De Ligt's move Thursday, with Juventus reportedly beating out fellow continental heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona for the 19-year-old's services. De Ligt is enlisting with Maurizio Sarri's side for a fee of €75 million, which will be "payable in five financial years" with "additional costs of €10.5 million."

De Ligt completed the transfer by signing a five-year contract that will keep him in Turin until 2024. It's understood that the Dutch international will earn €16 million per season with a potential weekly salary of €460,000 if add-ons are achieved, according to Fabrizio Romano of the Guardian.

There is also a buyout clause worth €150 million that will come into effect in June 2022, Romano added.

Capped 17 times by the Netherlands, De Ligt has emerged over the last two seasons in Amsterdam. The Golden Boy winner replaced Tottenham-bound Davinson Sanchez for the 2017-18 campaign before starring under Erik ten Hag in 2018-19 for Ajax's captivating Champions League run.

The teenage talent is widely heralded for a versatile skill set. Tall enough to be both a threat on set pieces and a commanding presence when defending in the penalty area, De Ligt is an imposing figure whose ability to play a pass should endear him to new Juventus boss Sarri.

De Ligt represents a significant coup for Juventus, and the Dutchman immediately replaces the retiring Andrea Barzagli. With Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini forming a reliable center-back duo and Daniele Rugani likely to earn more minutes under former Empoli tutor Sarri, Juventus now boast one of Europe's best groups of central defenders.

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