Gerard Pique talked Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt out of a move to Barcelona, it has been revealed.

Sport says De Ligt, when leaving Ajax in 2019, wanted to sign for Barcelona but during negotiations he learned a detail which made him change his mind.

He met Pique on a holiday to the Caribbean and they spooke about his possible arrival. Pique told him not to come because he would not get minutes at Camp Nou.

Pique and Clement Lenglet were the centre-backs at the time under then coach Ernesto Valverde, with Lenglet on the left, Pique on the right.

De Ligt plays on Pique's side. De Ligt felt threatened and went to Juve.

They say Pique denies this incident but De Ligt and his agent Mino Raiola insist the opposite.