Chelsea and Manchester United are expected to make several new additions this summer and as they have done in the past, the Premier League giants could both lock horns for some mutual targets. With either club expected to bring in a midfielder this year, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has emerged on their radars.
Todo Fichajes (h/t 90min) has reported that the Blues and the Red Devils are set to battle it out for the Dutch international’s services with Barca willing to entertain offers for him. As the Catalans look to balance their books, there is a belief that one of their best paid players could be allowed to depart for as little as £17 million, a very attractive price for his interested parties.
Admittedly, De Jong would have to accept a pay cut on his yearly salary packet of over £21 million at Barcelona but with Hansi Flick starting to prefer the energetic and physically stronger La Masia graduates in his midfield, the former Ajax Amsterdam star could be open to a challenge in the Premier League, six years after joining the Blaugrana.
CL qualification set to be vital for both clubs
Frenkie de Jong was one of the world’s best midfielders at Ajax Amsterdam but at Barcelona, he has failed to live up to the billing. He was described as a ‘spectacular’ player by former teammate Sergio Busquets and with a significant chunk of his career still ahead of him, the 27-year-old could be a fruitful investment for Chelsea and Manchester United for just £17 million.
In their bid to sign De Jong, however, it is vital that they are in the Champions League. Man United are potentially two games away from reaching the competition by virtue of winning the Europa League while Chelsea can assure passage into next season’s European Cup by claiming all points up for grab in the Premier League in the next four games without relying on other results.
De Jong’s elegance on the ball and technicality would be an exciting addition to the Premier League which has largely been dominated by physicality as well as pace in recent years. It will be interesting to see if the player prefers joining United, one of his longer term admirers, or Chelsea, who can offer him a salary as close to what he currently draws at Barca.
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