Is another Ajax defensive wunderkind Tottenham bound?
By Gary Pearson
Teenage sensation Matthijs de Ligt is hot on Spurs’ radar, with the 18-year-old the latest top prospect from Ajax being courted by Tottenham.
de Ligt is one of the world’s most highly touted young centre backs. So much so that Mauricio Pochettino sees him as a potential long-term replacement for Toby Alderweireld, who is almost assuredly leaving north London this summer.
de Ligt is a bundle of raw talent with a wealth of experience for someone of his impressionable age. He, alongside then teammate Davinson Sánchez, were the two pillars instrumental in Ajax’s run to the 2016-17 Europa League Cup Final.
Unlike Sánchez though, de Ligt won’t slide seamlessly into the heart of Spurs defence if Pochettino is successful in signing the Dutch prodigy.
Tottenham are the frontrunners in landing de Ligt, though numerous other top clubs are vying to secure his services. Spurs are de Ligt’s probable eventual destination for many reasons, the most alluring of which being Spurs’ strong existing Ajax connection.
Already tight with Sánchez, de Ligt would revel at the opportunity to join Ajax alumni Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen in north London.
Like many other Tottenham targets, de Ligt is in the embryonic stages of his overall development, a perfect candidate for Pochettino to mold and contour.
de Ligt, however, is unaware of Spurs’ interest in him. That won’t hinder a potential deal, though. It will cost Daniel Levy, if Spurs continue their pursuit of the 18-year-old, about £45 million to seal the deal.
The biggest impediment is de Ligt’s insistence about playing first team football. He has previously unequivocally stated that he doesn’t intend on transferring to a side that won’t play him regularly.
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Then again, if de Ligt has intentions of moving to an élite worldwide footballing force, he’ll have to earn his stripes, which invariably means playing a bit part role for the foreseeable future.
What do you think about Spurs’ interest in de Ligt?
Is he the answer when Alderweireld departs, or does the Dutchman present too much of a long-term commitment , yet another work in progress whose youth won’t help Spurs win in the immediacy?