Chelsea are monitoring Frenkie de Jong’s situation at Barcelona and could make a move if a transfer to Manchester United does not materialise, it has been reported.
The 25-year-old looks set to be on his way out of the Camp Nou this summer.
Manchester United had reportedly agreed a fee of €65 million plus add-ons, with negotiations taking place regarding personal terms.
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Erik ten Hag is a huge fan of the player, having coached him at Ajax, and would like to link up with the midfielder in Manchester.
He is said to be open to moving to Old Trafford despite previously admitting that he was in no rush to leave Barcelona.
The Spanish side reportedly need to raise funds to bring players in during the summer transfer window.
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This comes after they appear to be closing in on the signing of Raphinha from Leeds United.
Leeds United accepted the Blues’ £55 million offer earlier this week but Chelsea failed to agree personal terms with the winger as he prefers a move to Spain.
It remains to be seen as to whether the 25-year-old will move to Xavi Hernandez’s side due to their poor financial situation.
Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian has now reported that Chelsea could assist Barcelona with offloading De Jong this summer.
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The Dutch midfielder is keen to play Champions League football, which Manchester United are not doing.
The Blues watched De Jong closely during his time at Ajax, and could look to move for him now as Tuchel was said to be a big fan of the midfielder, wanting to sign him for Paris Saint-Germain.
It was reported by French media that the German was 'reduced to tears' when told that De Jong had decided to sign for Barcelona back in 2019.
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It is unclear as to whether Chelsea will follow up on their interest in De Jong, with Declan Rice seen as a long-term target for the midfield position.
However, a deal for the Barcelona star could be easier to finalise than their interest in Rice.
Despite the reports, Chelsea’s priority remains in strengthening their defence following Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen’s exits.
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De Jong’s former teammate Matthijs de Ligt has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea.
The defender is said to be impressed by Tuchel’s coaching methods, which has seen many defenders improve.
Speaking during the international break at the end of last season, De Ligt criticised the sporting project in Turin and hinted at a departure, handing Tuchel's side a boost.
“I look at the sporting project. Ending fourth in a row for two years in a row is not good enough, Juventus knows this too. So being Juventus, we have to make steps. I’m a Juventus player so I’m focused on that,” he said.
"There are ongoing conversations between me and Juventus. Right now I am focused on how I perform on the pitch, once the right moment arrives I will decide to extend or to look further."
The defender looks set for a summer switch to Chelsea, and could reunite with De Jong if Chelsea act on their interest.
Topics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Manchester United, Transfers, Barcelona, Frenkie De Jong, Football, Premier League
Nick Emms