Manchester City's hope of landing 19-year-old Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt have been boosted because Barcelona are unlikely to make a bid for the player this summer.
Barcelona bought De Ligt's team-mate Frenkie de Jong in January although the midfielder will stay at Ajax until the summer. They have been linked with De Ligt but a bid has all but been ruled out.
De Jong was sold for £75million and the impressive central defender is expected to go for at least the same value when Ajax sell this summer.
Barcelona took out a loan of £123million from two US investment funds at the end of last year but having paid out for De Jong and needing to buy a centre-forward as cover for Luis Suarez they cannot meet De Ligt's asking price.
Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana revealed this week: 'De Ligt wants to go with De Jong to Barcelona. I have spoken to both of them about it.'
But Barcelona signed 19-year-old Jean Clair Todibo in January from Toulouse and the plan for next season is for Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti and Todibo to be the club's four centre-backs.
Barcelona stepping back from the De Ligt auction clears the way for Manchester City to battle with Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Juventus for the Dutch international.
One potential stumbling block for City is the fact that De Ligt's agent is Mino Raiola who has fallen out in the past with Pep Guardiola over Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have Umititi back in training this week and he could feature in the Champions Leauge next week when Barcelona face his former club Lyon.
Umtiti has been out since the end of November with a persistent left knee problem that he has preferred not to address with surgery. He has been rehabilitating in Qatar for the last two months and is now ready for a return.
Suhbcdeikl
0
Manchester city want to buy everybody at end of the day no Champion league trophy
Layadelms
2
Put Lenglet on the market, recoup some money add it up and buy De Ligt.
Chinglensalam
0
De Ligt will join Fc Barcelona.
zabceilnr
0
City bound but we also have quility defenders at the moment but if pep wants pep gets Barcelona went 2 investors for 123 million lol we just ask our chairman pennies to him go get him city
pep might feel like he could teach him to be a dfm
ManCityFanForever
0
Who? De ligt, no he is cb
No Ndombele
Ruwaelpr
0
come to city
Biaknoprs
2
Future man city captain??
07Adhu07
0
He is CDM ain’t he?
Who? De ligt, no he is cb
United Kingdom6877317
0
City bound but we also have quility defenders at the moment but if pep wants pep gets Barcelona went 2 investors for 123 million lol we just ask our chairman pennies to him go get him city
gutfürdich
0
what a flop kid
Losadeknuy
1
i know Barcelona we already have many qualities defenders but we need him and i am confident he choose Barca over any others team for sure
wiaadep
2
up barca
lawalidris
1
We need them all please.
TinoConstantine
0
Barca go get him fast
U.S.A8778747
2
Please go for Ndombele, he is physically strong
brinco
0
75m
Saoeikrtyz
2
go man city!!!!!
RichyKaweesa
0
Just being greedy but hey which big team aint,...Get Him Barca!!!
wascekor
1
i think barca should try as much as they can to sign De Ligt.He is extremely good and will help Barca a lot at the defence. Besides our defence is not that reliable of late..
Mathcity
1
we don't need him, he should go to barca
KingAguero10⚽
0
intresting news. The New Nicolas Otamendi
fobcilms
1
we don't need him we need a cdm
rihcknopr
1
welcome De light to Manchester City for good football because there is Guardiola 👍👍⚽⚽
Abdelfattah47
1
Here we go again. Start the next hype
Media hyping players for their own circumstances!
juobemnosy
1
carry go
ManCityFanForever
0
We want Ndombele more than De Ligt but if he can play Cdm, its good
He is CDM ain’t he?
ManCityFanForever
0
We want Ndombele more than De Ligt but if he can play Cdm, its good
We need Ndombele anyhow
Toyemopyz
0
Football has gone crazy, huge amount for this young player. Wow
07Adhu07
0
I know😔
We want Ndombele more than De Ligt but if he can play Cdm, its good
ManCityFanForever
0
De jong Gone
I know😔
07Adhu07
0
We don’t need him right now. We wanted De Jong.
De jong Gone
rezruz
0
Barca need the absolute best So if de Ligt is better than Tobido, Lenglet or Umtiti They should get him and sell one of the others De Ligt is right centerback, like pique, not left Like umtiti and lenglet i believe
ManCityFanForever
2
We don’t need him right now. We wanted De Jong.
butablmou
0
Please sell Legnet and buy de Ligt.
Are u serious bro
Patrick Myanmar
0
He's going to be closer to £75m. Arsenal and Spurs can't afford him. Chelsea will be in Europa. Liverpool probably can't afford him now they've spent the Coutinho money, plus they have Gomes and VVD anyway. We seem to want a more experienced centre back like Koulibaly to lead the back line. That only really leaves City who are fairly happy with Laporte and Stones. I reckon he goes to Spain.
Arsenal and Spurs can't afford him? 😎🐒 May be for spurs, the price is too high but for Arsenal is another story that the owner does not want to spend that much money only on one player. 😉💰
Tazabcdoyz
2
we really need him he's so talented
SouTHeE
0
Seeing him is joy as he is perfect replacement for pique with same height and physical too and he is young as he should be fast. He's tactical and long passes is also good but i can prefer him in some other club for now as he have to learn so much now as a 19 year old. In my opinion he should go to mc or mu so that he can developed though and after 4--5 years than join the Barca. hahaaha
Emperor-GH
0
All in the brain works of Pep. He has the Barca DNA so anything Barca is Pep. Great threats
databcklos
0
good News
bodbelmnr
2
Please sell Legnet and buy de Ligt.
Space_Man
0
Nice rumor but I assure everyone he is moving to juventus.
Yeah, I think Juve might just get him. They've got an ageing back line so it would be hard to slot in immediately. If Bartomeu decides he's going to Barça then Barça will have a lot of explaining to do to him to convince to come.
Space_Man
1
Pique, Lenglet, Umtiti, Todibo and De Ligt? That's maybe too much considering how solid Umtiti and Lenglet have been
Unless Todibo morphs into a left back then it'll be okay to sign De Ligt.
Space_Man
1
He's going to be closer to £75m. Arsenal and Spurs can't afford him. Chelsea will be in Europa. Liverpool probably can't afford him now they've spent the Coutinho money, plus they have Gomes and VVD anyway. We seem to want a more experienced centre back like Koulibaly to lead the back line. That only really leaves City who are fairly happy with Laporte and Stones. I reckon he goes to Spain.
Juve would probably be the best option looking at those factors you've mentioned. An ageing back line in need of youth. Barça's got loads of center backs right now.
Ehvdegekste
2
Here we go again. Start the next hype
Radionicse
0
I probably don't understand the agent business at all, but how the hell has Mino Raiola amassed so many players and why are the clubs not doing something against it, if he is so notorious?
herrlishr
0
Wonder if the recent goalfest (if continued) against Ajax is gonna deter other club's interest or lower his price
521Jack
3
He's going to be closer to £75m. Arsenal and Spurs can't afford him. Chelsea will be in Europa. Liverpool probably can't afford him now they've spent the Coutinho money, plus they have Gomes and VVD anyway. We seem to want a more experienced centre back like Koulibaly to lead the back line. That only really leaves City who are fairly happy with Laporte and Stones. I reckon he goes to Spain.
Lucesluck
0
I doubt Liverpool would move for De Ligt. They already have Van Dijk and Joe Gomez. Gomez is only 21 himself and seems to be earmarked to be VVD's long term partner at CB. Cannot see the club spending the fortune required to buy De Ligt when, unless we switch to 3 at the back, will just be a backup option at CB. If Liverpool recruit another CB, say if Lovren moves on, it will be someone who is willing to be a backup CB to Gomez and VVD. De Ligt could start at many other big clubs and would surely prefer to move to a team who could slot him in the first team as a starter immediately.
Lopandlle
0
Ajax and Raiola milk them to the fullest.
aozao
2
Here we go again.