ROME (dpa) - Dutch teenage sensation Matthijs de Ligt has signed a five-year contract at Italian champions Juventus in a high-profile move from Ajax Amsterdam worth 85.5 million euros (S$130.6 million).
"It's the news all Bianconeri fans have been waiting to hear all summer: Matthijs de Ligt is officially a Juventus player!" Juve said Thursday.
Juve said that the 19-year-old centre back de Ligt joins them "for a consideration of 75 million euros, payable in five financial years, and additional costs of 10.5 million euros."
De Ligt won the Dutch league and cup double as captain with Ajax last season and scored the deciding goal as the Dutch ousted Juve in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were reportedly also interested in de Ligt but Juventus prevailed in the long battle for his signature.
De Ligt was quoted last month as saying that Juve star striker Cristiano Ronaldo asked him to join the Bianconeri. The two spoke briefly after the Nations League final won 1-0 by Ronaldo's Portugal over de Ligt's Dutch.
