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Ajax’s highly touted young defender Mattijs de Ligt seems destined for one of the top clubs in Europe, but he is determined not to trade massive wages for a comfortable spot on a well-heated bench.
As reported by the Mirror, De Ligt said,
I am going to make a decision with my head, not based on money offers. I think some players would be tempted when they get massive offers. But compared to ordinary people I think I earn a huge wage right now, anyway.
De Ligt currently earns £15,000 a week, compared to an estimated €78,000 (= £67,400) earned by Bayern’s backup center-back Niklas Süle.
Ajax is reportedly seeking a transfer fee of around €60 million or £50 million for De Ligt's services, leading many to speculate that Manchester City will be most likely to sign him with their bottomless budget. De Ligt has explicitly ruled out Barcelona, where he feels that he would only sit on the bench.
Arsenal and Bayern Munich, meanwhile, remain interested. Bayern had a scout present at Ajax's showdown with Eindhoven on Sunday, but it is questionable whether he learned as much as the club had hoped. De Ligt put in a reasonably solid performance, but his team was crushed 3-0, and two players received red cards in the final ten minutes of the match.
There is no timeline at present as to when De Ligt will choose a destination. He seems to be precociously cautious and practical young man:
My next step just has to be right for me when I look at the team and where and how I will live.
If De Ligt continues to think with his head rather than his wallet, perhaps Bayern could persuade him to move to Munich and stay in red and white.