The likes of Barcelona, Juventus, and Liverpool have shown great interest in the promising Dutch center-back.

Matthijs de Ligt is an undeniable talent being watched by several European heavyweights, but one team appears to have snatched the lead in the race to land the young Dutchman.

According to Spanish radio station Onda Cero, that side is none other than Barcelona. While the Spanish giant has long been linked with a move for the Ajax starlet, Juventus and Liverpool looked to beat the Blaugrana to his signature.

However, with Josep Maria Bartomeu set to meet the center-back, all fingers point to the Catalan outfit winning this transfer battle. The Barcelona president is in Holland and will reportedly use this opportunity to begin negotiations with the teenager.

It has been previously reported that the 19-year-old is due a meeting with a Camp Nou delegation and Ajax figures Edwin Van der Sar and Marc Overmars. The Blaugrana is eager to secure a deal for De Ligt ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals that would see him arrive in Spain this summer.

If the 2018 Golden Boy winner agrees to join Barcelona, he would join up with current club and national team-mate Frenkie de Jong, who has already signed a Camp Nou deal. However, De Ligt won't come cheap, as his fee could reach around $84M.

Nonetheless, this figure is no stumbling block for the Spanish Primera Division champion as they are ready to throw cash in search of a remedy for their defensive issues. Liverpool and Juventus, two sides interested in the 19-year-old, will be the losers if they miss out on this wonderful talent.

De Ligt was part of the Netherlands squad that lost to Germany in the Euro 2020 qualifiers. The defender scored but could not prevent his side from losing 3-2 to Joachim Low's youthful squad.