That's a difference of 26 million over the course of a 5-year contract, so I'd say it's a pretty big difference.
Matthijs de Ligt / signs for Juventus, lowering their average age to 56
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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I would be receptive to the idea that joining PSG isn't exactly exciting, there is no massive rivalry like in the PL or La Liga but the Bundesliga and Serie A are in the same boat than Ligue 1 unless if he joins Dortmund or Inter/Napoli. If I was his agent I would be on the phone with Liverpool.
You can throw some glitter on it though
So that article being referenced to was published this morning. Mike Verweij is De Telegraaf's dedicated Ajax watcher, has all the connections, and a good reputation.Tweet
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PSG is horrified by the Frenkie scenario and are getting stuck into De Ligt.PSG is in pole position to sign him. The Girlfriend and mother in law have started house hunting.
@Ajaxsuarez correct me if I'm wrong mate.
https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/1753754933/psg-vreest-frenkie-scenario-bij-de-ligt
https://www.telegraaf.nl/sport/197690133/psg-doet-alles-voor-de-ligt
Short translation:
- De Ligt didn't decide yet, a Frenkie scenario is still possible.
- Girl friend and her mother spotted in Paris during the Nations League finals in car with blinded windows, house hunting.
- De Ligt is going on holiday today, PSG hope for a fast decision.
- Owner El-Khelaifi still afraid of last-minute Frenkie switch, getting De Ligt is TD Antero Henrique's last chance.
- Barca and Juve not prepared or able yet to match the offer.
I mean, they have a much better base team from which they can start youth players in their league, so I'm not surprised about that. But even the league, Tobido just got bought by Barca from Toulouse, Agoume to Inter from Sochaux, Pepe potentially to Bayern/Pool from Lille. All under 24, but I guess they just didn't develop in the french league?
We wouldn't offer anything over £150k per week though which is lightyears apart from what he can earn at United or PSG. Raiola's job is to get the best possible deal for De Ligt financially, so unless the player himself explicitly wants to join us I can't imagine that Raiola even wants to take the time to talk to Liverpool.
To me out of PSG, Barca and United, PSG doesn't seem that bad of an option at his age. Being 19 and going to Barca could be risky. They already have a good core of young CB's.
Juve could be a good proposition, but not exactly that much of an excitement in terms of a league. It's pretty much the same in terms of rivalry like the French.
City probably is the best place for him right now - especially with Ottamendi and Kompany leaving. Not sure why Pep isn't pushing - he's a great fit for him.
You know bloody well what I meant.But I'm not Raiola, I would try to get him in a good team while I sell his ass to every sponsors willing to pay for the new football pretty boy. He will be selling Nivea's product or something like that.
Yes, in order to win the premiership you need to be at your absolute best throughout the season. City could not let their guard down even once, same with Chelsea. There is no off day.
At PSG, when someone like Neymar(for example) is injured its no big deal, unlike when Sala is injured for Liverpool there is a bit of a panic. This is true for all the big players in the premiership.
Many of the players that starred in PL came from France - Payet, Kante, Hazard, Bernardo Silva, among many. But suddenly it's a shite league to develop young players.
Apols matey, you set me up for that one. I’ll credit you with an assist if it helps. X
No one is arguing that PL is the better league. That doesn't mean that he can't improve in France and develop gradually.
If i'm Raiola i'm telling De Ligt to demand a buyout clause, wherever he goes. In fact, if i were an agent i'd advise every player to do so. This way you can keep a level of control over your future
So two tier 1 sources (Di Marzio and the Dutch one) are reporting that PSG are doing everything they can to get De Ligt.
Doesn’t mean PSG will get him but so far there haven’t been any reports about us meeting with Raiola to negotiate his contract.
Looks like it really is between Barca and PSG
Doesn’t mean PSG will get him but so far there haven’t been any reports about us meeting with Raiola to negotiate his contract.
Looks like it really is between Barca and PSG
He has had the best teachers at Ajax. Development going forward is playing against the best players, learning to cope with the pressures of being your at your best in every game, not just the big ones.
I do not believe he will improve at PSG. It's probably the reason they can't cope with the pressures of the latter stages in the CL.
Many of the players that starred in PL came from France - Payet, Kante, Hazard, Bernardo Silva, among many. But suddenly it's a shite league to develop young players.
exactly.But we are already talking about a player that is way beyond is years, so are you suggesting he is going to develop more in France. Or would it be better for him to join a competitive league.
TBF draw hasn't really been kind to them in the latter stages. From 12/13 they have been eliminated by Barca(1 on away goals) three times, Chelsea(one on away goals) twice, City and Real.
We were the worst team they drew since ages.
Of course they should've beaten one of those teams but it's not like it has been a long shot, they had their chances and who's to say next year won't be "their year".
Barcelona and Real Madrid are probably the worst places alongside United. If you look at the last 5 to 6 years, they have killed careers Odriozola disappeared, Ceballos, Asensio, Andre Gomes, Dembélé, Alcacer stagnated and haven't been taken care of. If you are a young player, the best thing to do is to run away from these clubs or push for a transfer after one season being misused or ignored. People like big names and history but in this current world, the "historical" clubs are the worst, they don't respect their own histories.
In that case Ligue 1 is excluded, everyone should be happy.
Yes. That is exactly what i'm suggesting. He's 19 and never played outside of Holland.
The French league is actually very good regards developing talent. But for me if De Ligt wants a challenge and wants to test his abilities then he must choose England followed by Spain. If not, then juventus will be a better bet in Italy. Inter now with Marotta and Conte will challenge Juve before long IMO.
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350k a week and that low a clause don't go together.
The also beat Chelsea twice.
With the level of recent inflation I don't see anybody agreeing to that, especially with the high fee.
He could accept 200k or in the similar range. Depends what he's after really.
Yup. They could've done better no doubt but it's not like they kept being eliminated by bums.
PSG would be a good move for him at this stage. They will also pay more than anyone else too.
If he was 25 I'd get the arguments against PSG, but he's bloody 19 and he's coming from Ajax. If he signs a 5 year contract he's up for a move when he's 23. Still plenty of time for two contracts at Barca or Real. In the meantime he will have gotten filthy rich and Tuchel is a very good coach for someone like him.
Tuchel won't be there by the end of next season and beating shit teams week in, week out won't really help him develop.
He wouldn't be a rotational player at Barcelona. They won't spend 75m on a centre back and not give him planty of games Umtiti is a crock and he'd be ahead of Lenglet.
At Barcelona he'd operate in a far superior league against teams that would test him far more frequently than what he'd face in France.
Certainly agree that United are no barometer. I wasn't aiming to make that as a point because we are far behind. But the league we play in coupled with the inevitable restructure in the playing squad is a good moment for a player like De Ligt to come into. In a worst case scenario we don't cut the gap with the teams above us and De Ligt moves on to Barcelona at 22/23 years of age. We'd be a far easier club to buy from than PSG, and the Premier League experience would be a lot better for him. Just look at current PSG players who are open to moves, they'd likely have to run down their contract and leave PSG because no one can afford them (Veratti, Mbappe, Neymar). It's a sticky club to leave from.
Man Utd's ethos is only just changing under Ole, to focus on buying potential talents and developing them. It could be argued now is the best time for a 19 year old great talent to join, because they'd get the room to make mistakes whilst getting opportunities to become a leader in the squad.
Rashford may not be making strides, but I don't think he's regressing either. Martial certainly regressed, but he's a player with systematic problems of his own and not very comparable to De Ligt. Outside of that we don't have anyone really to compare because we weren't operating in a way that would compliment a player like De Ligt - but I think we are moving that way now. AWB, James, De Ligt are all similar ages and whilst De Ligt is the most established in his potential I think AWB at least has all the potential in the world to be one of the best in his position. It wouldn't be a mountain step up from Ajax in quality, but it's a perfect transition if Barcelona is his end goal.
Yeah, I'm certainly not offended by his choice. I just find it odd PSG is the destination when he made it abundantly clear that development is the most vital selling point for him. Top clubs and a good step-up in salary are a given because Juve, Barcelona and ourselves were keen on him. If you rightly threw us out the equation due to the Champions League element, he would have likely developed as a player more with Juventus or Barcelona. At PSG sure he'd develop, as many players do by virtue of experience and getting older, but not as much as the other clubs.
Also I don't think he is going to PSG because he can play with Mbappe and Neymar. I don't think that's much a factor in decision making, because he can go to Barcelona and play with Frenkie, Messi Suarez etc. It's clearly money driven.
Comparing to United, whilst granting PSG are head and shoulders more established than we are, they are ultimately in a one-horse league. He'd rarely, if ever, face situations with his back against the wall needing to dig deep against teams domestically. Far less so than even during his time with Ajax. His real tests will come in the Champions League.
A lot of players are bought from France that fail too. There's a reason why French teams can't dominate European tournaments too. The good ones are normally bought and exit France and it's normally the lesser quality ones that remain in League 1. I'm not saying they are Dutch level of quality, but they are comfortably lower quality oppositions than La Liga, Premier League or Serie A.
Also he could hypothetically also play with Messi, rejoin Frenkie and learn from Pique's experience. I don't think rubbing shoulders with Thiago Silva the deciding factor. It all comes down to money. Money can be overlooked if he's at least joining a competitive league and taking on a challenge at a club (either having competition for his spot at Barca, or coming to a transition club like ourselves).. but he's not doing that. He's just joining a team where he can watch the game like a spectator for 90% of his league games.
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Let’s keep the thread going. We will get him
Coutinho was rotational and was brought in for 142m. Lenglet is a top defender and really liked his form. Pique isn't also going away. Umtiti was class when he wasn't injured and who is to say he can't regain his form and stay injury free? Before last season he averaged 40 games per season for 6 years in a row.
Yes, of course, but again he would be less of a starter or important player than he'd be at PSG.
The problem with restructure is that it might be positive but it might fall through. And look at how we have been restructuring since 6 years. The direction hasn't changed and we only hear promises. Woodward is still head of the footballing side so no real changes there. Worst case scenario for him is get bunch of titles in France, deep CL runs and still go to Barca at 22/23.
Worst case scenario at United - mediocrity, no CL football, no pattern of play. We have seen the latter and is much more probable.
I agree that it's tougher to leave PSG.
Ole most likely will be gone come December. We have no structure to nurture talent at the moment. He doesn't really have the time to make mistakes - look at Pogba, he gets constantly riled by fans and even abused. If we don't get on well with the new season and the atmosphere is down in the dressing room it's not the best place for a talent like De Ligt to be. To be perfectly honest if I wasn't an United supporter and not driven by money United will be the last club I'd sign for at the moment.
We don't have a direction without DoF. If Ole fails who is to say Woodward will continue on the same path?
That's the thing - even in the bad French league a player like Mbappe is still developing. PSG have ton of young players coming through and developing - ours either stalled or regressed.
Based on last years and all young players that have featured for us and PSG, the latter are in much better position to say that they develop young talent. Tuchel is also much better manager than Ole in doing so.
There could be a chance that the lad wants to be the best player he can be. Barca’s style most suits him but the EPL would be an immediate challenge both physically and mentally. Here we play hard games every week. I don’t think he’s as ambitious as he makes out. I think he’s more interested in social media and money. I hope he proves me wrong
He should aim higher than French league. I would say Juve is the best option for him.
-Stable club
-Won't against player wish if player wants to leave and big offer comes.
-Italian league very good competition and environment for defender.
-Sarri incoming as a coach fit De Ligt play style.
He isn't doing that though. Let's be honest, if money was no factor, he'd be at Barca.
If he goes to PSG he will literally have to run his contract down to get out again
Which should be the norm. You sign a contract, you respect its terms. That's also the best way to limit the crazy amounts of money spent on buying registrations nowadays.
Agreed. Will play for a team that will win trophies, will play in the Champions League, will live in a great city and will earn a good salary. Cant knock the lad. If the Barcelona deal for whatever reason wasnt appealing to him, then PSG is a good choice after that.
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