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Ajax coach tells Liverpool what they must do to sign Matthijs de Ligt this summer
AJAX defender Matthijs de Ligt could cost more than what Barcelona will pay for his team-mate Frenkie de Jong.
Matthijs de Ligt can choose any team says Ronald de Boer
That is according to Ajax legend and current Ajax A1 assistant manager Ronald de Boer.
De Ligt is heavily linked with a move this summer, with the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona said to be keen on the 19-year-old, after a fine season for the Dutch side.
Ajax are already set to lose De Jong, with Barcelona signing the midfielder for an initial fee of £65million.
De Boer, though, says De Ligt is ahead of De Jong in his development and more ready to compete at the highest level.
For me Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, these teams I would advise him to go there
And he reckons the centre-back is more than capable of playing for the likes of Liverpool.
“For me, a 19-year-old boy, captain of Ajax, he’s the guy who is next to [Virgil] van Dijk in the [Dutch] national team,” de Boer told talkSPORT.
“He’s so strong, determined to be a winner, unbelievable.
“You can see it in front of the camera, his interviews, I’ve never seen it from a 19-year-old boy, I’ve never seen that before.
“For me, he can play in every team, if he goes to a defending or attacking team. He can play in any team because he’s so good.
“He can easily come to the Premier League – he can choose every team in the world.
“Frenkie de Jong went for €75million and that can go up to €85million to Barcelona.
“But in my opinion, De Ligt is further in his qualities and is more ready to make that step than Frenkie de Jong.
“For De Ligt, it’s up to him what he wants to do. He has to look for a team that plays attacking football and has time on the ball.
“Or go to a team that gives the opponent the ball and waits.
“For me [he can go to] Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, these teams I would advise him to go there.
“But I mean all the other teams, even Tottenham, they’re great teams to play for.”
De Ligt helped Ajax to a 1-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.