PSG are reportedly considering the prospect of making a summer swoop for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is said to be frustrated at Camp Nou.
According to a report from Catalan publication El Nacional, French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain have set their sights on Barcelona midfield mainstay Frenkie de Jong over a possible move in next year’s summer transfer window.
Frenkie de Jong joined Barcelona in the summer of 2019 from Dutch giants AFC Ajax in a deal worth a massive €85 million. The 24-year-old has been a regular fixture for the Blaugrana since his arrival, racking up 104 appearances in which he has produced a tally of nine goals and 14 assists so far.
However, it is being claimed that Barcelona are not entirely happy with the Dutch international as he has not been able to perform at his best level consistently so far. De Jong started the current season on a strong note, but his form was fading in recent weeks, with his display against Real Madrid particularly raising eyebrows among the fanbase.
While the Catalans feel that they have not gotten their money’s worth from the signing, the report adds that de Jong himself is unhappy and frustrated with his situation at Camp Nou. The midfielder was promised a project wherein the team would be consistently challenging for and winning trophies, which has not been the case since his arrival, with Barcelona only winning the Copa del Rey, which came last season.
In addition to that, the sudden rise in stature of youngsters like Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez has cast doubts on his starting spot in the Barcelona midfield, while Ronald Koeman’s sacking is also seen as a blow for the midfielder. All things considered, de Jong is believed to be in a difficult place at the club, and PSG, alerted by the situation, are planning to pounce.
Les Parisiens were among a host of clubs keen on signing de Jong back in 2019 before he moved to Barcelona. And, they now believe that they have a second shot at getting the midfielder next year, with club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi already plotting a move after getting the go-ahead from manager Mauricio Pochettino.
In addition to PSG, the ex-Willem II academy ace is also attracting interest from Bayern Munich. Barcelona, for their part, would be open to the prospect of selling de Jong should a considerable offer come in as president Joan Laporta sees it as an opportunity to trim the club’s wage bill and bring in some funds to boost the transfer kitty.
The 24-year-old is contracted with the Blaugrana till 2026 and is a vastly talented midfielder. Given his quality, selling him might come back to haunt Barcelona in the future. But, as things stand, PSG are intent on landing de Jong with an attempt likely to be made in the summer of 2022.
