Matthijs de Ligt is now a Juventus player after turning down offers from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He has spoken about his decision.
"I love the way the Italians defend and I made a decision based on that. Many of my models and past references are Italian: Baresi, Maldini, Nesta, Cannavaro, Scirea... And I could go on," he told Ajax TV.
Asked about his decision, the Dutchman confirmed that "it was a difficult decision. I had several options and you always have to see which one is the best.
"There are a lot of factors involved. It's important to know how much I'll play and how much the club trusts me, that's why I picked Juventus because they told me they really wanted me".
De Ligt, 19, added that it was emotional to leave Ajax, a club where he has spent 10 years progressing from the youth academy to the first team. "I will miss everyone in Amsterdam," he added, "but I had to take a step forward."