Premier League heavyweights Liverpool are reportedly looking at other options instead of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
Fabrizio Romano has written for Caught Offside that Liverpool will not pursue a move for Frenkie de Jong in 2023. The Reds have other options in mind and will unlikely look at the Barcelona midfielder to bolster their ageing squad.
Frenkie de Jong finds himself in a frustrating situation despite being one of the most dependable performers for Barcelona since arriving from Ajax. The Dutch midfielder’s wages have left the Blaugrana sweating. And Barcelona tried to sell him in the summer transfer window to balance the books and fund new transfers.
The Catalan giants failed to do that, and de Jong is now a rotation option for Xavi Hernandez, falling behind Gavi in the pecking order. While the 25-year-old has featured in every game he has been available for, he has started only five times. And his situation had reportedly captured the attention of Liverpool.
The reported interest stems from the advancing years of James Milner and Jordan Henderson. In addition, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have suffered from fitness issues during their respective stints with Liverpool. And deadline day arrival Arthur is yet to feature after picking up a long-term injury.
The Reds thus need to invest in at least one central midfielder in 2023, with de Jong being a viable target. But according to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool will unlikely pursue the Barcelona midfielder next year. The Merseyside giants instead have other options in mind for when they dip their toes in the market.
Florentino Luis is the latest player to emerge on Liverpool’s radar, with Benfica teammate Enzo Fernandez also being an option. As for Frenkie de Jong, the Barcelona midfielder was an appealing option for Liverpool on paper. But the Reds will seemingly concentrate on pursuing other players.
Meanwhile, de Jong has confirmed that Barcelona tried to push him to leave in the summer. And with recent reports claiming he is increasingly frustrated at Camp Nou, a departure in 2023 might be on the cards. But Liverpool will unlikely be his next destination.
