Chelsea will be ready to submit a big-money contract to entice 29-year-old Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong to move from Barcelona to London.
According to a report by Pete O’Rourke on Football Insider, Chelsea would prefer to land a “big name with vast experience” in the midfield unit. The Blues have thus set their sights on the 29-year-old Barcelona midfielder, with the Blaugrana demanding at least £50 million to part ways with him.
Per Pete O’Rourke, Chelsea will launch a bid to sign de Jong in the January transfer window as they attempt to fill Enzo Fernandez’s void in the midfield department. The report adds that with the Dutchman already earning “substantial” wages with his Barcelona contract, they want to tempt him with a “lucrative contract” for a mid-season switch.
Frenkie de Jong and his Barcelona journey so far
Frenkie de Jong has been a consistent performer since joining Barcelona from Ajax in July 2019. However, persistent fitness issues have started hampering the 29-year-old in recent seasons, and he is currently on the sidelines due to another injury, with a return planned for the coming weeks.
The Dutch playmaker, who has featured 70 times for the Netherlands, has made over 300 appearances for Barcelona thus far while chipping in with 20 goals and 31 assists. Meanwhile, despite his fitness problems, the Netherlands international remains a hot property in the market, with Chelsea among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
London calling?
Frenkie de Jong has been on Chelsea’s wishlist for several years. The continued interest is logical, as the West London club failed to replace Enzo Fernandez when he joined Manchester City in a record deal on in the summer deadline day. That has left Xabi Alonso with only four specialist midfielders in his squad.
While Romeo Lavia has been impressive in the first two months of the 2026/27 season, questions linger over Lavia’s durability after recurring injuries. Meanwhile, Valentin Barco is still adapting to the challenges of playing in the Premier League, while Jordan Henderson, at 36, is in the twilight of his career.
Frenkie de Jong has the quality and productivity record to fill Fernandez’s void at Chelsea, as apart from his output for Barcelona, he has the progressive passing to become the ideal foil to Moises Caicedo and Lavia. Barcelona’s asking price of over £50 million reflects the Dutch midfielder’s stature, though it is unclear if Chelsea will pay that in addition to the planned lucrative wages.
