‘Huge mistake’: Club told not to sell Liverpool target for less than £70m

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Juventus would be making a ‘huge mistake’ if they sell Liverpool linked Matthijs de Ligt for less than £70 million amid a potential move to the Premier League, former Serie A defender Angelo Gregucci tells Tuttomercatoweb. 

On Thursday, Juve bid farewell to Federico Bernardesci, Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata. That was to be expected. Bernardesci and Dybala were out of contract after all, while Morata’s loan spell from Atletico Madrid was coming to an end.  

But few saw this coming. 

There had been rumours circulating that De Ligt, the former Ajax captain who has struggled to live up to sky-high expectations in Turin, was ready for a fresh start. Liverpool have been linked, per TMW. Chelsea too. 

But this was surely just paper talk right? Tomorrow’s fish and chip paper, as they say? De Ligt still has two years left on his contract and, following Giorgio Chiellini’s departure, a place as the leader of Juventus’ backline was beckoning. 

Liverpool linked Matthijs de Ligt want’s Juventus exit

“Today, keeping a player who wants to leave is impossible,” says Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene, all-but confirming De Ligt’s desire for a new adventure abroad, per Goal. 

“It’s hard to keep a player (who wants to leave).” 

Now that we know the rumours are, indeed, true, the question turns to how much Juventus should demand. This is, after all, a player who set them back £68 million when he was still a fresh-faced teenager. 

“If Juventus does not sell De Ligt for more than 80 million euros (£70m), in my opinion it would be a huge mistake,” says Gregucci, the former Lazio man who spent a brief spell as part of Roberto Mancini’s staff at Manchester City.

“I say it is a huge mistake. You will never find a player born in 1999 with the Dutchman’s experience. (Kalidou) Koulibaly is a top defender but he is older.” 

Pressed further on where he things De Ligt could end up, Gregucci pointed out that – while the transfer market in Italy is ‘at a standstill’ – there is still one league where the cash continues to be splashed.

“The really rich offers come from England more than from Italy.”