Chelsea are reportedly prepared to fork out €60 million to secure a move for FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
According to El Nacional, FC Barcelona are bracing themselves for a raid from Chelsea for Frenkie de Jong. The talented playmaker has emerged as a top target for Thomas Tuchel as he looks to strengthen his midfield options. Chelsea are well aware of de Jong’s precarious situation at Barcelona, with the player struggling to gel with new coach Xavi Hernandez.
There has been a significant drop in de Jong’s performances, and the midfielder is not a guaranteed starter like he was under Ronald Koeman. It has compelled FC Barcelona to consider a sale that could help them ease their financial woes, given the 24-year-old is among the highest-paid players in the team. Chelsea are among the clubs keeping a close eye on de Jong’s situation and are prepared to make a €60 million bid in the summer.
A product of the Ajax academy, de Jong joined Barcelona in 2019 for a staggering fee of €86 million. Despite the club’s sporting struggles, the Dutch playmaker enjoyed a good debut season, becoming a first-team regular and the focal point of Barcelona’s build-up play.
However, over the past 18 months, the Dutchman has struggled with consistency, and his on-field contributions have not been particularly eye-catching.
New coach Xavi has been quick to identify Frenkie de Jong’s loss in form. The Barcelona boss is aware that the 24-year-old is one of the highest-paid players at Camp Nou. And with youngsters like Pedri, Gavi and Nico enjoying a rapid rise to prominence, he is considering a sale for the talented Dutchman.
Multiple top clubs across Europe, including Juventus and Manchester City have already shown concrete interest in de Jong. And it appears Chelsea are no exception either, as coach Tuchel looks to find a long-term replacement for Jorginho.
The Italian international is currently heading towards the final phase of his career, with Chelsea noticeably lacking in quality beyond their reliable midfield trifecta of him, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic.
The potential addition of Frenkie de Jong could solve that problem, although it remains to be seen whether Barcelona are all too keen on accepting Chelsea’s €60 million offer, which is slightly lower than what the Blaugrana had paid a few years ago.
