De Ligt denies Kluivert claims he regrets choosing Juventus over Barcelona
De Ligt was widely tipped to join Barcelona before he eventually opted to sign with Juventus, a decision he says he does not regret.
Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt has denied claims made by his compatriot Patrick Kluivert that he regrets choosing Juventus over Barcelona.
De Ligt was the subject of one of the transfer sagas of last season, where several of Europe’s top clubs were in the hunt to sign the then-Ajax captain.
Barcelona were the initial frontrunners to land the talented centre back, until Juventus eventually swooped in to clutch him from the Spanish club’s grasp.
However, the young Dutch international has not had the ideal start to his Juventus career, coming in for criticism for giving away two penalties in nine Serie A appearances, as well as for a missed header in the Champions League clash with Lokomotiv Moscow that allowed the Russian club to open the scoring at the Juventus Stadium in October.
The former Ajax captain also conceded an own goal in his debut appearance in a pre-season friendly against Inter Milan.
Kluivert claims De Light is sorry about Juve choice
Earlier this week, Barcelona’s director of youth football Kluivert claimed that the 20-year-old may now be regretting his decision not to follow former Ajax team mate Frenkie de Jong to Camp Nou.
“I think he is a little sorry, but it is what it is,” Kluivert told Mundo Deportivo.
"In life you make choices and sometimes you do it well and sometimes badly. You have to learn from your decisions."
De Ligt denies Kluivert comments
However, De Ligt has come out to deny Kluivert’s claims in comments made to the Dutch press.
“I don't regret the fact that I have moved to Juventus," the 21-year-old told Voetbal Primeur.
“They are saying and writing a lot of stuff.
“If a person like Kluivert says something like that, it might seem true, but it really is just his assumption.”
Since making his 85-million-euro move in the summer, De Ligt has made 12 competitive appearances for the Old Lady amid the absence of captain and veteran centre back Giorgio Chiellini.
Juventus currently sit top of Serie A with 32 points and remain unbeaten after 12 matches, with Inter in second place and just one point behind.