Frenkie de Jong is expected to dominate the transfer market once again this month as Barcelona look to sanction the sale of the midfielder, in an attempt to balance the books ahead of the new season.
While the player has so far resisted attempts from Man United, a move away from Camp Nou could soon be on the horizon as Chelsea have recently entered the race to snap him up.
The club’s head coach Thomas Tuchel remains a huge admirer of de Jong. The German tactician is, in fact, pushing the club to sign the Dutchman, especially amid the uncertainty brewing over the future of N’Golo Kante.
The Frenchman is currently in the last year of his contract at Stamford Bridge, with very few indications of a potential extension.
Should Chelsea lose Kante in the summer, they could go after Frenkie de Jong. The Barcelona starlet offers the experience and the potential that could make him an asset for Thomas Tuchel’s men in the years to come.
On that note, Diario SPORT journalist Luis Miguel Sanz (h/t FCB World) has offered an update on the situation, suggesting Chelsea have already kickstarted negotiations with Barcelona over de Jong this summer.
The Catalans are prepared to cash in on their star player, though they are holding out for a considerable fee of around €80 million. The club are expected to invest the money in signing a direct replacement, in the form of Bernardo Silva.
However, it will not be surprising to see Xavi explore other options as well, knowing Silva’s massive wages and Man City’s staggering demands could potentially break Barça’s newly-implemented financial structure.
