Juventus have won the race to sign Ajax teenager Matthijs De Ligt.

The 19-year-old central defender was one of the hottest properties in world football and starred in Ajax’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.

He courted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs this summer before signing a five-year deal at Juve.

Here, PA takes a look at the youngest player ever to captain Ajax.

Starting out

Tottenham Hotspur Training and Press Conference – Ajax Stadium
Matthijs De Ligt joined the Ajax academy at the age of nine (Adam Davy/PA)

Dropping back

Ajax v Manchester United – UEFA Europa League Final – Friends Arena
De Ligt, right, regularly played as a midfielder at the Ajax academy before breaking into the first team (Nick Potts/PA)

Stam comparisons

Man U/N’castle Dalglish
Matthijs De Ligt has been compared to the former Manchester United and Holland defender Jaap Stam (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Making waves

After just 17 games for Jong Ajax, De Ligt made his senior debut in a cup game against Willem II. He scored after 25 minutes, making him Ajax’s second-youngest goalscorer ever behind Clarence Seedorf. De Ligt was named the youngest captain of Ajax in March 2018. He is also the youngest-ever captain in a Champions League knockout game (19 years and 186 days old) and the youngest player to play 100 games for Ajax.

National service

Netherlands v England – International Friendly – Amsterdam ArenA
De Ligt, right, won his first cap for Holland at the age of 17 (Nick Potts/PA)

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