De Ligt admits his first football shirt was Man Utd… but he’ll ‘reject Old Trafford transfer for Juventus’
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MATTHIJS DE LIGT has admitted his first football shirt was Cristiano Ronaldo's at Manchester United - but has reportedly decided to join his idol by wearing a Juventus kit.
The highly sought-after Ajax defender is on the radar of the Red Devils, Juve and a host of other European giants.
However, only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side have lodged an official offer for the 19-year-old, according to BBC Sport's .
Despite this, De Ligt has apparently rejected a move to Old Trafford and agreed a five-year contract at Juventus worth just under £210,000 a week.
The 34-year-old recently urged the Dutch teen to join him in Turin after Portugal's 1-0 win over Holland in the Nations League final.
And De Ligt has revealed that he used to dream of becoming like Ronaldo to the point that his first footy shirt was the winger's when he was in England.
I always wanted to be Cristiano Ronaldo when we played soccer. Even my first football shirt was his.
Matthijs de Ligt
He said: "Everything is going fast. During the season, in the club and during the various competitions, you don't really have time to think about it.
"However, sometimes I realise it, as recently when I had dinner with my childhood friends who I used to play with.
"We came to the conclusion that I always wanted to be Cristiano Ronaldo when we played soccer in the garden.
"Especially during the period when he played at Manchester United. Even my first football shirt was his.
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"That dinner took place immediately after the two challenges against Juventus, in which I had to face Ronaldo."
While De Ligt has reportedly decided to join Juve after spending weeks agonising over his future, Paris Saint-Germain are still hopeful of landing him.
His girlfriend Annekee Molenaar was recently spotted house hunting in the French capital.