Legendary Italian football specialist Marcello Lippi claims that during his long career he has never seen a defender like Matthijs de Ligt, who is only 19 years old.
De Ligt attracted the attention of all the biggest clubs in Europe during the season and is now valued at 75 million euros. Despite interest from clubs like Barcelona and Bayern, the Dutchman decided to continue his career in the league that knows best what effective defense is – De Ligt is close to moving to Juventus.
Speaking about this transfer, Lippi showered praise on the future Juventus newcomer.
"I think De Ligt would be the best purchase for Juventus," the strategist said. "He is a very strong athlete. He has excellent physical characteristics and is intelligent in terms of football. He also has excellent technical skills and can score goals."
When asked to compare De Ligt to other defenders, Lippi said: "I don't think there's a point in comparing him to anyone. I have seen many great defenders – Nesta, Baresi, Maldini, Ferrara, Cannavaro and Materazzi. However, I have not seen anyone better at his age."
"Juventus could achieve a lot by including him in the defense alongside Chiellini and Bonucci. I think we would see a stronger Juventus than ever before."
"They could achieve any goal they set, including the Champions League," added Lippi.
