Chelsea are reportedly in direct talks with Barcelona to sign Frenkie de Jong.
The Netherlands international, 25, has been linked with Manchester United for several months. It's believed the Red Devils have agreed a fee with the Spanish club for De Jong but are struggling to persuade him to move to Old Trafford, allowing Chelsea to swoop in.
Barcelona are expected to allow De Jong to leave the Camp Nou this summer to ease their financial burden. They must make sales if they are to register their new signings - including Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski - before La Liga's deadline of August 13.
Barcelona manager Xavi is in a position where he can afford to sell a midfielder. The likes of Gavi, Pedri, Sergi Roberto, Nico Gonzalez, Sergio Busquets and new signing Franck Kessie could fill the void left by De Jong if he was to move to the Premier League.
The Catalan giants would also save a huge amount of cash if De Jong was to say goodbye. He's one of the club's highest earners and can command a significant transfer fee due to his status in the game. He was named in FIFA's FIFPro World XI in 2019.
As reported by The Athletic, Chelsea are optimistic about striking a deal with Barcelona for De Jong. The Blues are looking to bolster their squad and have already agreed deals for Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling, Carney Chukwuemeka and Gabriel Slonina.
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The rumour should concern United supporters. If Chelsea can also agree a fee with Barcelona, they will be able to offer De Jong Champions League football - something the Red Devils can't after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season.
The Blues also have a better recent record when it comes to silverware. Since United's last trophy in 2017, Chelsea have won the FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup. They also consistently appear in finals.
And playing for Thomas Tuchel's side would give De Jong the opportunity to live in London ahead of Manchester, a plus for many footballers. Chelsea would also be confident of matching United's salary offer to the midfielder.
But the Red Devils do have Erik ten Hag, De Jong's former manager at Ajax, who knows exactly how to get the best out of him. They're also undeniably a bigger club in terms of stature, name and history. Becoming a United player still means something.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Football, Rio Ferdinand believes United are still in the hunt for De Jong's signature. "If Man United had an inkling that he wasn't looking to come to Man United, I don't think they'd still be in the race," said Ferdinand. "I don't think they'd be in the conversation - they'd distance themselves straight away.
"The fact Man United haven't distanced themselves - and the relationship Erik ten Hag will have with Frenkie de Jong from their time together at Ajax - says to me the player still has the intentions to come to Man United. But the situation isn't as clear cut as that, as we can see. For me, it's not ideal."
