Cristiano Ronaldo Asked Matthijs De Ligt To Snub Barcelona And Join Juventus Instead

Cristiano Ronaldo might be the ultimate opportunist after trying to convince Matthijs de Ligt to move to Juventus over Barcelona.

The 19-year-old Ajax captain has become one of the most sought-after stars in Europe and has been linked with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Juventus.

Ajax are hoping to secure at least £60m for De Ligt should he leave the club in the summer.

And the Portuguese superstar decided to have a cheeky word with De Ligt after Portugal's 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the Nations League final.

When the 19-year-old Dutch centre-back was asked if he would be Ronaldo's teammate at the Old Lady, he told NOS Sport (via Goal): "That could be true, yes.

"I didn't understand him at first. I was a little shocked, so I laughed, but I didn't say anything.

"Shortly after the game, you are not at all concerned with it, you are disappointed you have lost and that is the only thing you are thinking about."

De Ligt had a phenomenal season with Ajax, which saw him capture the Eredivisie title and the KNVB Cup.

While the Ajax starlet has been focused on international duty with his country, he admitted after the match that he was unsure where his future would take him.

"I don't know," he said when asked about his future.

"Now I am going on vacation and I just take a rest, relax and then I will see.

"When you rest, you have enough time to think, so that's good."

But it's hardly surprising that Ronaldo can see the talent in De Ligt, especially as he spoke highly about the introduction of young talent like João Félix in the Portuguese side.

"The national team will continue, with or without Cristiano. I think the team has great potential," he said after the match.

"There are young players, players who over the years will become more mature and better.

"I want to be part of this project because I feel good and I feel able to help the national team.

"But, as I said, I think the national team has the potential to continue to evolve and win more trophies."

Which club should De Ligt sign for in the summer?

Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football News, Matthijs de Ligt, Football, Nations League, Serie A, UEFA, Ajax, Portugal, Netherlands, old lady, Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo

Adnan Riaz

Adnan Riaz is a journalist for SPORTbible. He studied for a B.A. in History at the University of York and followed it up with an M.A. in Multimedia Journalism at MMU. Before he started writing about sports, he spent over four years in the gaming press. He has worked for several publications, including Hardcore Gamer, LADbible and the Manchester Evening News. Follow him on Twitter to find out what he is working on next. Got a story tip for Adnan? Email him: [email protected]

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