Ajax star De Ligt wins Golden Boy award

Ajax teenager Matthijs de Ligt, 19, claimed the Tuttosport award after receiving the most votes from an international panel.

Published : Dec 17, 2018 14:27 IST

Ajax defender Matthijs De Ligt.
Ajax defender Matthijs De Ligt.
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Ajax defender Matthijs De Ligt.

Coveted Ajax captain and sensation Matthijs de Ligt has been crowned the 2018 Golden Boy as the most promising Under-21 player in Europe.

Linked with LaLiga champion Barcelona and Premier League champion Manchester City among others, the 19-year-old centre-back claimed the Tuttosport award after receiving the most votes from an international panel.

De Ligt beat Roma winger Justin Kluivert, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, AC Milan forward Patrick Cutrone and Real Madrid teenager Vinicius Junior to the honour, won by Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe last year.

Netherlands international De Ligt – under contract until 2021 – has been a revelation since making his debut for boyhood club Ajax in 2016, establishing himself in the heart of the Eredivisie club's defence.

A first international call-up following last year and De Ligt continues to attract interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs, with Barca reportedly at the front of the queue.

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