Football
Jonathan JohnsonJulien Laurens 5y

Sources: PSG near €75m move for Ajax's De Ligt

Paris Saint-Germain are making progress in their bid to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax with the defender's agent Mino Raiola currently in the French capital, sources have told ESPN FC.

The Netherlands international is a hot property this summer and is wanted by a host of top European clubs, including Barcelona and Juventus, but the Ligue 1 champions are close to agreeing terms with Ajax over a transfer fee in excess of €75 million.

ESPN FC sources had revealed that Barca were making a final push at the start of the week, but that has not stopped Raiola's talks with PSG from advancing.

Raiola arrived in Paris on Wednesday to discuss De Ligt's personal terms with PSG and a lucrative €12 million gross annual salary across a five-year period is now on the table in front of the 19-year-old.

Should De Ligt ultimately accept the offer from the French giants, he would become one of the capital club's highest earners -- although not the highest, with the likes of Neymar on the team making €66m in salary alone last season.

The Ajax man has agreed in principle with the move, said ESPN FC sources, mainly thanks to the fact that he has been convinced that he will be a cornerstone in PSG's rebirth -- contract bonuses and Raiola's significant commission remain under discussion though.

ESPN FC sources added that although current PSG sporting director Antero Henrique met with Raiola upon his arrival, the returning Leonardo and fellow Brazilian Maxwell remain heavily involved.

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Leonardo, who has worked closely with Raiola in the past as PSG sporting director, even met with the agent in Monaco earlier this week to discuss the De Ligt deal.

Despite the latest developments, a total agreement for the transfer is not quite there yet, stressed ESPN FC sources.

Crucially, PSG's transfer fee for De Ligt will come out of their 2019-20 season budget, so there will be no immediate UEFA Financial Fair Play ramifications.

Sales remain needed before the end of the month to avoid issues with the period including the 2018-19 campaign and talks have opened with Lille over the transfer of U.S. international Timothy Weah.

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