Matthijs de Ligt - Juventus Complete Signing of Dutch Defender

[Harry]

Old retired former Barcelona player disapproves...

Still some good information at the heart of his story

[Panna King]

5 hours ago, SirBalon said:

"The way de Ligt has conducted himself makes me want to vomit"

Former France International Christophe Dugarry who played for Girondins de Bordeaux, AC Milan, Barcelona and Olympique Marseille delivered a brutal viscous attack on young Dutch International Matthijs de Ligt when running through the exclusive information he has on how the transfer saga unwound. Dugarry now works as a pundit for RMC Sport and he doesn't pull any punches when he has to give an opinion. Here is the transcript on his version of how the whole transfer saga occurred from the first moment to the final decision...

"I'm the personal source of information that leaked de Ligt had accepted terms with Juventus. I am the one that's been in constant contact with two journalists, one in the Netherlands and one in Rome to inform them on how this was being untangled."

"Now you tell me what this kid is thinking about? He is only 19 years old, what difference in life will 12, 13, 14 or 15 million give you at 19 when you're yet to establish your football career right at the top end of the game... What difference does 50 meteres square more make to your life at 19 or maybe even 10 metres more on a yacht?"

"If this whole process in which he has let his agent conduct has been soley about squeezing the last cent from any possible deal, then he maybe he should leave the sport because it makes me feel like vomiting!"

"He is an excellent footballer when we consider his age, he's very good. But if this is his mentality, then he won't last long."

"When Barça made contact with him last year, he was dying to move there and from what I've understood, he was willing to make the move that very summer but Barcelona weren't ready to guarantee him playing time then so they told him to wait another season. When he spoke to them again this year, he agreed the same deal as his friend and colleague Frenkie de Jong and as far as all parties were concerned including Ajax, it was all done."

"De Ligt finished the season strongly and Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain came calling with the club from Paris doubling what Barcelona had promised on personal terms. Nobody contacted Barcelona to say his mind was now not made up like before and it was someone from within PSG that got in contact with Barça to inform them to start making different plans unless they wanted to join in what would become a bidding war. Barça straight away made their minds clear to the player and told him that they would not move one single centimetre from the agreement they'd both made 5 months earlier."

"From what I understand, de Ligt didn't even contact Barcelona again until last Saturday while pushing and pulling from all quarters instigated by de Ligt and his entourage was going on."

"Why do I look so furious talking about this?"

"This kid came to an informal agreement with three different clubs in the space of 1 month and in the case of Juventus, he agreed two different terms twice in 3 weeks!"

"PSG were on the verge of finalising the deal and hours away from publicly announcing the transfer of de Ligt from Ajax to Paris Saint-Germain when they recieved a phone-call from the player's agent stating that a new clause had to be inserted before signing that day. The clause would be that Matthijs could leave PSG at any moment if certain clubs came in for him and that PSG could do nothing to stop it other than to charge a fair price of transfer in relation to the player's fair value. In other words, de Ligt was aware of how difficult it is to leave PSG if they want you from past public transfer talk over the years."

"Everyone knows PSG aren't a club I have any affection for but in this I congratulate both the president of PSG and Leonardo who apparently told de Ligt himself this;"

"You haven't even started your time at PSG and you're already negotiating your departure?"

"This is when last Saturday de Ligt got in contact with Gerard Piqué who was also holidaying in the Bahamas and asked if he had any information on the situation at Barça regarding any change of heart from the club and their offer. Gerard got together with him and contact was made with the club where they informed Matthijs that nothing had changed, that they'd offered him a fair deal they'd both agreed on, that both he and Barcelona knew that his wish was to play for the club and that any other financial package would only be negotiated once he had proven his worth at the club in the future, the same as everyone else. They even told him that Coutinho who had arrived a year previous had come to the club earning less than at his previous club. So, if he didn't know where he wanted to play and that if it was all motivated by a terms auction, that the club had always been clear that they'd never do that for anyone as Neymar had found out 2 years ago."

"Just to say, Juve have offered Matthijs and his agent everything they've asked for and that's why he will be playing for Juventus in Serie 'A'"

"How I have managed to tell you all this without vomiting deserves me of an extra bonus" 

The problem is Raiola and no one else, even the last few weeks a top Dutch journalist still had information that de Ligt will be going to Barcelona as it is de Ligt's preferred choice.   Since the talks Raiola himself has sabotaged that deal from happening due to his connections in Juventus.   de Ligt fault is that he has just been very naive of the whole process as he has never been involved in a transfer so he has just let his agent Raiola do 100% everything and it seems he has used clubs to get more money for himself from Juventus.  The same thing happened with Justin Kluivert last year, everyone told him to stay with Ajax, even his dad Patrick but Raiola got involved and ruined the relationship between Ajax and Justin so he had to be sold to Raiola's preferred choice of Roma so he will get his commission.    It is just the way Raiola works, every one tells players do not deal with this guy but somehow Raiola still manages to convince players to sign up with him. 

[Rick]

3 hours ago, SirBalon said:

"The way de Ligt has conducted himself makes me want to vomit"

Former France International Christophe Dugarry who played for Girondins de Bordeaux, AC Milan, Barcelona and Olympique Marseille delivered a brutal viscous attack on young Dutch International Matthijs de Ligt when running through the exclusive information he has on how the transfer saga unwound. Dugarry now works as a pundit for RMC Sport and he doesn't pull any punches when he has to give an opinion. Here is the transcript on his version of how the whole transfer saga occurred from the first moment to the final decision...

"I'm the personal source of information that leaked de Ligt had accepted terms with Juventus. I am the one that's been in constant contact with two journalists, one in the Netherlands and one in Rome to inform them on how this was being untangled."

"Now you tell me what this kid is thinking about? He is only 19 years old, what difference in life will 12, 13, 14 or 15 million give you at 19 when you're yet to establish your football career right at the top end of the game... What difference does 50 meteres square more make to your life at 19 or maybe even 10 metres more on a yacht?"

"If this whole process in which he has let his agent conduct has been soley about squeezing the last cent from any possible deal, then he maybe he should leave the sport because it makes me feel like vomiting!"

"He is an excellent footballer when we consider his age, he's very good. But if this is his mentality, then he won't last long."

"When Barça made contact with him last year, he was dying to move there and from what I've understood, he was willing to make the move that very summer but Barcelona weren't ready to guarantee him playing time then so they told him to wait another season. When he spoke to them again this year, he agreed the same deal as his friend and colleague Frenkie de Jong and as far as all parties were concerned including Ajax, it was all done."

"De Ligt finished the season strongly and Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain came calling with the club from Paris doubling what Barcelona had promised on personal terms. Nobody contacted Barcelona to say his mind was now not made up like before and it was someone from within PSG that got in contact with Barça to inform them to start making different plans unless they wanted to join in what would become a bidding war. Barça straight away made their minds clear to the player and told him that they would not move one single centimetre from the agreement they'd both made 5 months earlier."

"From what I understand, de Ligt didn't even contact Barcelona again until last Saturday while pushing and pulling from all quarters instigated by de Ligt and his entourage was going on."

"Why do I look so furious talking about this?"

"This kid came to an informal agreement with three different clubs in the space of 1 month and in the case of Juventus, he agreed two different terms twice in 3 weeks!"

"PSG were on the verge of finalising the deal and hours away from publicly announcing the transfer of de Ligt from Ajax to Paris Saint-Germain when they recieved a phone-call from the player's agent stating that a new clause had to be inserted before signing that day. The clause would be that Matthijs could leave PSG at any moment if certain clubs came in for him and that PSG could do nothing to stop it other than to charge a fair price of transfer in relation to the player's fair value. In other words, de Ligt was aware of how difficult it is to leave PSG if they want you from past public transfer talk over the years."

"Everyone knows PSG aren't a club I have any affection for but in this I congratulate both the president of PSG and Leonardo who apparently told de Ligt himself this;"

"You haven't even started your time at PSG and you're already negotiating your departure?"

"This is when last Saturday de Ligt got in contact with Gerard Piqué who was also holidaying in the Bahamas and asked if he had any information on the situation at Barça regarding any change of heart from the club and their offer. Gerard got together with him and contact was made with the club where they informed Matthijs that nothing had changed, that they'd offered him a fair deal they'd both agreed on, that both he and Barcelona knew that his wish was to play for the club and that any other financial package would only be negotiated once he had proven his worth at the club in the future, the same as everyone else. They even told him that Coutinho who had arrived a year previous had come to the club earning less than at his previous club. So, if he didn't know where he wanted to play and that if it was all motivated by a terms auction, that the club had always been clear that they'd never do that for anyone as Neymar had found out 2 years ago."

"Just to say, Juve have offered Matthijs and his agent everything they've asked for and that's why he will be playing for Juventus in Serie 'A'"

"How I have managed to tell you all this without vomiting deserves me of an extra bonus" 

Sounds like an old bellend.

DeLigt maybe agree on certain terms months and months and months ago, but he would have to be a complete fool not to now change his demands after proving his worth even more since then.

[SirBalon]

11 minutes ago, Rick said:

Sounds like an old bellend.

DeLigt maybe agree on certain terms months and months and months ago, but he would have to be a complete fool not to now change his demands after proving his worth even more since then.

But that’s not what Dugarry is getting at if you’ve read and understood what he says. @Panna King has understood perfectly.

What Dugarry is saying is that he’s been manipulated from his own preferences and we have the Pogba situation as an example of this and his current situation.

[Rick]

21 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

But that’s not what Dugarry is getting at if you’ve read and understood what he says. @Panna King has understood perfectly.

What Dugarry is saying is that he’s been manipulated from his own preferences and we have the Pogba situation as an example of this and his current situation.

Dugarry is basically another one of these ex Barca players that talk shite. Loads of them about. 

I understand the situation. This is is. Barcelona made a gentleman's agreement before the lad did all this amazing stuff towards the end of last season, and now they are arrogant enough to tell him that his performances change nothing for them. Meanwhile, other clubs are trying hard to sign him by offering bit better packages. Barcelona are just butthurt because he's not bowing down to them like a good like boy. Fuck them, if they won't match others then they can do one. 

Don't blame the Riola in this case. He's expecting more from Barcelona to reflect the current situation of it all. Does he have DeLigt's best football intentions at heart? Probably not, but let's not act like Juventus under Sarri isn't an excellent place for the lad to develop.

[Cicero]

Yup. Just sounds like Barca are pissed off they didn't get their way. And their ex-players venting their frustration. 

[SirBalon]

10 minutes ago, Rick said:

Dugarry is basically another one of these ex Barca players that talk shite. Loads of them about. 

I understand the situation. This is is. Barcelona made a gentleman's agreement before the lad did all this amazing stuff towards the end of last season, and now they are arrogant enough to tell him that his performances change nothing for them. Meanwhile, other clubs are trying hard to sign him by offering bit better packages. Barcelona are just butthurt because he's not bowing down to them like a good like boy. Fuck them, if they won't match others then they can do one. 

Don't blame the Riola in this case. He's expecting more from Barcelona to reflect the current situation of it all. Does he have DeLigt's best football intentions at heart? Probably not, but let's not act like Juventus under Sarri isn't an excellent place for the lad to develop.

You’re wrong and your personal sentiment towards Barcelona is making you read ridiculous and bypassing what is called being biassed.

Read again... He is not defending Barcelona, he is talking about how de Ligt has changed the goalposts 9 times in 1 month with two separate clubs because Barcelona exited from the whole issue back in May and have nothing to do with what occurred subsequently as they made no contact with the player or his agent.

[Carnivore Chris]

19 minutes ago, Rick said:

Dugarry is basically another one of these ex Barca players that talk shite. Loads of them about. 

 

He played for the club for one season and made a handful of appearances if that. Hardly a club legend.

[SirBalon]

14 minutes ago, The Rebel CRS said:

He played for the club for one season and made a handful of appearances if that. Hardly a club legend.

7 games to be exact.

Dugarry has criticised Barça heavily in the past. He is known for his harsh, no holds barred opinion on anything relating to football and doesn’t hold any loyalty to anyone.

The thing is that people have pre-programmed bias which I suffer from too and is why I get it. But Dugarry’s words speak for themself if you stop yourself from focussing on a particular club.

You only have to read what @Panna King wrote who has no allegiance to any of the aforementioned clubs aside from Ajax and Dutch football in this case and you get the balanced independent view.

[Cicero]

It be worse if he'd gone to PSG, but the outcry for playing under Sarri on a Juventus side with Ronaldo and a squad that can help De Ligt actually develop, is unjustified. 

I agree that Raiola is a bad influence, but DeLigt is hardly selling his life away with a move to Juventus FFS 

[Panna King]

2 minutes ago, Cicero said:

It be worse if he'd gone to PSG, but the outcry for playing under Sarri on a Juventus side with Ronaldo and a squad that can help De Ligt actually develop, is unjustified. 

I agree that Raiola is a bad influence, but DeLigt is hardly selling his life away with a move to Juventus FFS 

I think the problem is that de Ligt gave his word to Barca but now as he got better and even more noticed during the season, more clubs have become interested, this is Raiola's ideal wet dream so he can just play each club when everyone knows Raiola will only deal with Juventus when it comes to Ajax players, it is common knowledge. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Duggary just sounds bitter as fuck, tbh. He’s joined Juve, it’s not like he’s chosen to join some nomarks. It’s the biggest club in Italy and he’s going to be paid more than the other clubs were willing to pay him.

Also lol at PSG/Leonardo getting offended that he wanted to know about what would happen should he want to leave PSG. Any young player joining PSG should be seeking assurances on their path out because of how hard they make it for players that have the nerve to want to play in a better league than France’s top flight. “How dare this young player express concern about his career.”

Juve is miles better for his development.

[Cicero]

3 minutes ago, Panna King said:

I think the problem is that de Ligt gave his word to Barca but now as he got better and even more noticed during the season, more clubs have become interested, this is Raiola's ideal wet dream so he can just play each club when everyone knows Raiola will only deal with Juventus when it comes to Ajax players, it is common knowledge. 

Verbal agreement means nothing. Barca were naive to think otherwise. Especially for a 19 year old. 

Just screams bitterness. 

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Verbal agreement means nothing. Barca were naive to think otherwise. Especially for a 19 year old. 

Just screams bitterness. 

Barça aren’t speaking and haven’t spoken at all about this. Infact they’ve been very indifferent about it. As far as Barcelona are concerned they don’t have any defensive future issues with Umtiti and Lenglet.

Where is the Barça bitter statement?

[Panna King]

3 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Verbal agreement means nothing. Barca were naive to think otherwise. Especially for a 19 year old. 

Just screams bitterness. 

Barca was his preferred choice until Raiola made sure it would be impossible for him to go there.  Raiola even has fooled some of the most intelligent football people in the world.

[Cicero]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

 

Where is the Barça bitter statement?

You 

[Dr. Gonzo]

4 minutes ago, Panna King said:

I think the problem is that de Ligt gave his word to Barca but now as he got better and even more noticed during the season, more clubs have become interested, this is Raiola's ideal wet dream so he can just play each club when everyone knows Raiola will only deal with Juventus when it comes to Ajax players, it is common knowledge. 

The same thing has happened to us, without Raiola’s involvement, so many times in my lifetime that I assume this happens to clubs all the fucking time.

You didn’t see ex-LFC/Spurs players come out expressing indignant outrage that Willian went back on his word with us to give his word to Spurs, only to ultimately sign for Chelsea, for example.

It just happens in football... and even life generally. No formal contract was signed, they can’t be upset at a prospective employee reconsidering when there’s other options that might be more enticing to change his mind. 

[SirBalon]

Just now, Cicero said:

You 

Me?

Expand

[Panna King]

Barcelona unwilling to meet agent Mino Raiola's demands

[Cicero]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

Me?

Expand

Do I even have to? Your continuing defence in anything related to Barca or Guardiola is common knowledge on this forum. 

Oh he gave Barca his word. That's happened everywhere in football. Only reason there is an outcry is because there is very much an entitlement culture with Barca. 

[SirBalon]

4 minutes ago, Panna King said:

Barcelona unwilling to meet agent Mino Raiola's demands

Everyone on this board has called for this and has expressed their personal disgust at the mere mention of his name especially if we go back to quote posts when Pogba moved to Man Utd. But right now it’s a whole different kettle of fish. 

[Panna King]

Fabio Paratici and Mino Raiola will fly to Amsterdam in the coming hours to finalize the signing of Matthijs de Ligt, after Ajax and Juventus agreed deal of 75 million plus add ons.  

[SirBalon]

Just now, Cicero said:

Do I even have to? Your continuing defence in anything related to Barca or Guardiola is common knowledge on this forum. 

Oh he gave Barca his word. That's happened everywhere in football. Only reason there is an outcry is because there is very much an entitlement culture with Barca. 

Nono... Quote me. 

[RandoEFC+]

A ridiculous accusation from @Cicero. There is no history of former Barcelona players publicly encouraging top players to join the club and then coming out with bitter quotes like these when anyone dares to choose another club. No history at all.

[Carnivore Chris]

I wouldn't even buy him anyway as for the first time in a decade, I think the defence needs work on the least. It's midfielders and attackers that are needed. 

Before the Liverpool game it was surprisingly the strongest part of the team last season. The players are there and all it comes down to is how they are organised. 

Not to mention I wouldn't touch any player who has Raiola as an agent. The fat greasy nonce looking cunt is more trouble than he's worth. Just look at all the nonsense with Ibrahomovic. It's not worth the bother at all, especially when you consider how he's a 19 year old kid, who is already demanding the wages that a top class more experienced player would. It's a terrible mentality for a young footballer to have and a lot of that is due to the influence of his fat agent. Not to mention, most of Riola's players become premadonnas. Just look at Pogba, he's the perfect example of a Raiola player.