Chelsea are considering a move for the Barcelona midfielder in the summer, reports say
Chelsea have been linked with a summer swoop for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong(Image credit: Getty)
Chelsea are weighing up a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer, according to reports.
The Netherlands international was linked with the Blues last summer too, but Manchester United were the club that expended the most effort on trying to secure his signature.
The Red Devils were ultimately unsuccessful, with De Jong adamant that he had no desire to leave the Camp Nou.
In the end United signed Casemiro, while Chelsea have since bolstered their midfield ranks by acquiring World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter could be coaching Frenkie de Jong next term (Image credit: Getty Images)
But according to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Chelsea could go back in for De Jong ahead of next season.
The report states that the big-spending Blues are willing to pay up to £71.4m for the former Ajax man, who has completed 90 minutes in only 12 of Barcelona's La Liga encounters this term.
De Jong still wants to remain a Barcelona player, but the club's financial situation means he could be sold in order to raise much-needed funds.
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Erik ten Hag and Manchester United could renew their efforts to sign Frenkie de Jong this summer (Image credit: Getty Images)
From a footballing perspective, Xavi Hernandez would rather not lose De Jong - but the decision could be taken out of the manager's hands.
Chelsea are hoping to take advantage of the uncertainty by landing the 25-year-old, although their probable absence from the Champions League could be problematic.
Potter's team are currently 11 points adrift of the top four, and their best chance of qualifying for the competition would be by winning this season's edition.
Chelsea secured their place in the quarter-finals courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea have spent big money on several players in the last few months (Image credit: Getty Images)
That result has lifted spirits in the camp, as Chelsea registered back-to-back victories for the first time in 2023.
Potter will now be looking for a third consecutive win when his team takes on Leicester on Saturday afternoon.
As for De Jong and Barcelona, their next assignment is a trip to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).
