Matthijs de Ligt, the 19-year-old, who had previously been linked with Manchester United and Barcelona, has signed a five-year contract with the Serie A champions. Juventus say they will pay an initial fee of €75m (£67.8m) across five financial years, making De Ligt the most expensive defender in Italian top-flight history. Juve will also pay another €10.5m (£9.47m) in additional costs for the player’s agent Mino Raiola, intermediaries and other “accessories”. The player also has a €150m (£134.8m) release clause which will start from the third year of his contract.

According to report on Monday that Juventus agreed personal terms with Raiola, worth £10.8m-a-year plus bonuses during De Ligt’s time in Turin. De Ligt – Ajax’s youngest-ever captain – led the Eredivisie club to a domestic league and cup double last season, as well as taking them to the Champions League semi-finals in which they lost to Tottenham in the final seconds in Amsterdam.

Juve have already signed another young centre-back this summer in 21-year-old Turkey international Merih Demiral, brought in from Sassuolo, as Andrea Barzagli departed the club after eight seasons. The club have also brought in midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot on free transfers, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also back after one season away at Paris Saint-Germain.

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