Report: Barcelona lose ground in Matthijs de Ligt race

Barcelona are no closer to signing Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt than they were a month ago, according to a report.

De Ligt is a rumoured target for a number of European football's biggest clubs, including the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Manchester United and Barca.

The Spanish champions are widely considered to be the leading candidates to sign the 19-year-old, but Mundo Deportivo suggests that the transfer no longer looks a near-certainty, as it did just a few weeks ago.

Instead, De Ligt is now said to be seriously considering all the other options on the table and is in no rush to make a decision over his next career move.

Barca officials, led by general manager Eric Abidal, are rumoured to have met with the centre-back's representatives in Amsterdam last week, but the Catalan giants now fear a rival club hijacking the deal.

De Ligt has started 48 matches for Ajax in all competitions this season.