Juventus have reportedly made contact with Matthijs de Ligt's agent Mino Raiola as they bid to beat Barcelona to the youngster's signature.
A number of Europe's biggest clubs are understood to be interested in the Ajax defender, who has established himself as a first-team regular for club and country at the age of just 19.
Manchester City are among the teams monitoring his situation, but Barcelona are thought to be the frontrunners ahead of the January transfer window.
However, Tuttosport reports that Juventus have been in contact with Raiola and are hopeful of hijacking De Ligt's proposed switch to Camp Nou.
Juve vice-president Pavel Nedved is a former client of Raiola's and has reportedly spoken to the agent regularly about De Ligt.
De Ligt has already won 11 caps for Netherlands and is Ajax's captain despite still being a teenager.
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
