Liverpool report: Reds join Chelsea and Barcelona in the race for Serie A centre-back
Liverpool could rival Chelsea and Barcelona for one of Europe's most in-demand defenders
Liverpool are considering joining the race to sign Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus this summer, according to reports.
The Netherlands international faces an uncertain future amid rumours that he could seek a move away from the Allianz Stadium ahead of next season.
De Ligt's current contract runs until 2024 and he has an offer on the table to extend his deal with the club he joined three years ago.
However, Juventus have not offered the defender a pay rise and are hoping he will sign a two-year extension on the same money.
They are willing to lower his release clause, which currently stands at £105.7m, but face an anxious wait to see if De Ligt will commit to the club.
The Dutchman has been a long-time target for Barcelona, but the Catalans' financial issues could prevent them bringing him to the Camp Nou.
According to Calciomercato, Liverpool and Chelsea are both considering moves for the 22-year-old.
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The Blues will be in the market for at least one new central defender at the end of the campaign, with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen set to depart Stamford Bridge when their contracts run out next month.
However, their pursuit of De Ligt is on hold due to ongoing issues with Todd Boehly's takeover of the club, which has yet to be completed.
That could give Liverpool the chance to steal a march on De Ligt's other suitors.
The aforementioned report states that Jurgen Klopp is weighing up whether or not he should encourage the Reds to make a bid.
Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are both in their 30s and De Ligt could be the future of Liverpool's backline.
However, it is unclear whether Liverpool would be willing to dedicate such a large chunk of their transfer budget to a position where they are already well stocked.
Klopp's side will win the Premier League title if they beat Wolves on Sunday and Manchester City slip up against Aston Villa.
Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).