Chelsea are reportedly keeping a close eye on Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and are ready to swoop if his move to Manchester United falls through.
According to The Guardian, Manchester United are set to face competition from arch-rivals Chelsea in the race to sign Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer.
Frenkie de Jong has emerged as Manchester United’s top transfer target, with new manager Erik ten Hag pushing the Red Devils to sign the 25-year-old, having worked him with at AFC Ajax in the past. Negotiations with Barcelona have been going on for over a month, and recent reports indicated that a breakthrough had been achieved.
Indeed, Manchester United have reportedly reached an agreement with Barcelona over a deal worth €65 million, plus add-ons, to sign Frenkie de Jong. However, the transfer is far from being finalised as Manchester United are yet to agree personal terms with the Netherlands international, with talks ongoing.
De Jong has been reluctant to leave Barcelona, but The Guardian claims that he is now open to the prospect of moving to Old Trafford. But, Chelsea are keeping a close watch on the situation and are ready to make a play for his signing if Manchester United fail to get the deal over the line.
Chelsea are looking at a major squad overhaul across all departments, with the midfield region not spared either. Saul Niguez’s loan deal has expired, and he is back at Atletico Madrid while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is bound for the exit doors. On top of that, both N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are in the final year of their contracts.
Considering the injury problems that have plagued Kante in the past couple of seasons, it would make sense for Chelsea to start looking at the future, making de Jong a viable target to strengthen their midfield this summer. Furthermore, Kante is courting interest from Manchester United, and Juventus remain keen on Jorginho. And it could be the last opportunity for Chelsea to cash in on either of them.
De Jong had been a target for Chelsea in 2019, before his move to Barcelona. Manager Thomas Tuchel is an admirer of the 25-year-old, as per the report, and signing him could be an easier deal to complete than the one for West Ham United mainstay Declan Rice.
Even though Manchester United have laid the groundwork for a deal, Chelsea might have an edge over their rivals as the Blues can offer de Jong Champions League football, which the Red Devils cannot. So, there could be a possibility that the 25-year-old ends up at Stamford Bridge instead of Old Trafford should Chelsea decide to act on their interest in him.
