Kike Marin claims Arsenal are in for young Ajax star defender Matthijs de Ligt, along with four other top clubs, after the player requested a summer transfer.

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According to reports in the Netherlands, De Ligt has told Ajax he wants a transfer this summer. Manchester City, Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur are four clubs chasing the player’s signature.

However, Marin added one more name to the list, Arsenal:

https://twitter.com/Kike_Marin_/status/994120810590887936

The journalist was one of the first to call Aubameyang’s transfer to Arsenal in January. He confirmed the club’s intentions to complete a move on the 14th, well before the eventual deadline day transfer.

https://twitter.com/Kike_Marin_/status/952612829156257792

This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Arsenal’s interest in De Ligt. Last month Mundo Deportivo reported that the club were already negotiating with the 18-year-old’s representatives.

So why is such a young player generating so much interest from the top clubs?

Despite his age, De Ligt is already a regular starter for his club. He’s up to 39 appearances in all competitions this season, starting in every single one of those. Although the Eredivisie obviously isn’t the same level as the Premier League, it’s still not easy to ignore such a young player comfortably getting starts there every week.

De Ligt’s main strengths are his aerial duels and passing, which should help him fit into the Arsenal team pretty well. We’ll have to see whether they can fight off the competition for his signature.

Click ‘Next’ to see the 7 other defenders on Sven Mislintat’s shortlist

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