Matthijs de Ligt Admits Speculation Over Future Has Been 'Difficult' After Securing Juventus Switch
Netherlands international Matthijs de Ligt claims that it's been "sometimes difficult" to deal with the constant speculation over his future this summer, having finally sealed a €75m move to join Serie A champions Juventus.
The 19-year-old has been linked with every club under the sun ahead of the new season, with Juve most notably battling with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain for De Ligt's signature.
Juventus didn't officially confirm the move until Thursday morning, but after arriving in Turin earlier in the week, De Ligt told the Dutch media that he's struggled at times to deal with the constant attention on his future.
Lars Baron/GettyImages
"Of course it was sometimes difficult," he told Algemeen Dagblad (via RTL Nieuws). "The preparation [for next season] is in full swing. At Ajax, but also at Juventus.
"Last week I was able to work at Ajax, but after that, it was waiting for everything to be arranged."
Not everyone in De Ligt's family has felt the same about the media attention he's gathered over the last few months, however, as the defender revealed his grandmother has been keeping track of everywhere the 19-year-old has been mentioned throughout the summer.
"I remember it was very special in the beginning when I saw myself on the cover of a newspaper or magazine," he added.
"Now so many media have been added, also abroad. All those front pages about me in Italian and Spanish. It is especially nice for my grandmother, who keeps track of everything and finds it very beautiful."
Confirmed on Thursday, Ajax captain De Ligt has signed a five-year contract with Juventus in a €75m deal. He becomes just the fifth Dutch player to ever play for the Old Lady.
