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| Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and Parma Calcio at Allianz Stadium on April 21, 2021 in Turin, Italy. |
Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, according to reports.
The Champions League holders were keen on bolstering their defensive options in the summer and came close to signing Jules Kounde before Sevilla raised their asking price in the closing stages of the summer window.
Chelsea have retained their interest in Kounde but Sevilla are holding out for a €80 million (£68.5m) which the Premier League club refused to match in August.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are now exploring alternatives and according to Goal, De Ligt could now be a possibility as Juventus are keen on a deal.
The report claims that Juventus are ‘ready to offload’ De Ligt as they want his £280,000-a-week salary off their wage bill.
In an interview with Italian media last month, De Ligt’s agent, Mino Raiola, made it clear that the Netherlands international could be sold next summer.
‘De Ligt could also leave Juventus at the end of the season,’ said Raiola.
‘This is how the market works, there are many clubs who are interested in his services.’
De Ligt, who joined Juventus from Ajax in a £67.5m deal in 2019, has been splitting his playing time with 37-year-old Giorgio Chiellini this season.
According to reports, De Ligt has a €150m (£126m) release clause in his deal with Juventus which will be active next summer.
