Bartomeu: De Ligt's name is on the table LaLiga Santander - Barcelona Considering second Ajax raid

Frenkie de Jong's performance at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu left Barcelona supporters in awe on Tuesday evening, and club president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, who brokered the deal for the midfielder, has admitted that the name of Matthijs de Ligt is also on the table.

The teenage central defender burst onto the scene in the 2016/17 season, as he helped steer the Amsterdam club to the Europa League final, but it was the quiet maturity which was on display in the Spanish capital which has truly made people sit up and take notice.

Obviously, De Ligt was already on the radar of multiple European heavyweights, especially after his success with the Dutch national team alongside Virgil van Dijk, but performing on the biggest club stage is perhaps more important.

"His name is on the table," Bartomeu admitted in an interview with SER Catalunya.

"Where there is such talent away from Barcelona, we're always looking at them.

"It's a topic that will be discussed in our sports planning which begins in March, with De Jong we felt we had to move quickly because there were many clubs that wanted him."

VAR was once again in play during Tuesday's Champions League ties, with Ajax being forced to wait four minutes before knowing for sure whether their third goal would be allowed to stand.

Now, whilst the end decision was a correct, or at the very least fair, one, Bartomeu believes that people have to persevere with the technology, in spite of the delays.

"We must get used to this technology, and so must the officials," Bartomeu explained.

"I warn against aggression against the referees.

"Barcelona have been one of the clubs which has fought hardest to have VAR, we're one of the driving forces behind it."

Real Madrid thought their week couldn't get any worse after two successive Clasico defeats in the space of four days, yet the visit of Ajax has sent the Spanish giants into a tailspin, with their chances of success this term now sitting just above zero.

"It's been a very dark week for them," Bartomeu confirmed. "However, the world of sport is very difficult.

"I would rather talk about the success of Barcelona and not the misfortune of others, what about our triumphs with many different players since 2004?"