GREEN LIGT Arsenal transfer plans blown apart by Ajax heroics at Real Madrid as Barcelona turn attention to Gunners defensive target De Ligt
The La Liga club have already signed Ajax midfielder Frenkie De Jong, who will link up with the squad in the summer
Posted Friday, March 08, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk
ARSENAL have been dealt a blow in their quest to sign Ajax ace Matthijs De Ligt after Barcelona confirmed their interest in the centre-back.
SunSport exclusively revealed last month that the Gunners were monitoring his progress in Holland ahead of a possible summer switch.
Ajax centre-back Matthijs De Ligt is destined to sign for a top European club in the near future
Arsenal legend Marc Overmars - Ajax's director of football - recently claimed that it's only a matter of time before the 19-year-old joins a top side.
Reports have previously stated that De Ligt "expects" to sign for the Catalan club, with it understood he has his heart set on playing at the Nou Camp.
And should he make the move to Barca, he would link up with team-mate Frenkie De Jong, who joins Ernesto Valverde's side at the end of the season for £65million.
Speaking to SER Radio, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu revealed he has given his club the green light to lure the Dutch international to Spain.
He said: "We have to talk about it from March [signing De Ligt], which is when we take the decisions, but his name is on the table, of course."
The Ajax captain - who won the prestigious Golden Boy award last year - has starred for Erik ten Hag's side this campaign, helping the Eredivisie outfit sensationally knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League on Tuesday.
He is believed to be valued at around £70m - which would certainly price Arsenal out of the market.
Unai Emery only has £40m to spend in the summer, but could be given more should he guide the Gunners into the Champions League.
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