Chelsea have been handed a huge boost over Manchester United in the race to sign Frenkie de Jong. The 25-year-old has been heavily linked with an exit from Barcelona amid the Spanish giants' ongoing financial troubles.
football.london understand that the west Londoners have liked the idea of signing the Netherlands international for a few years now. And, while Thomas Tuchel faces great competition from Erik ten Hag for the Dutchman's signature, the Blues boss is confident of beating the Red Devils to a deal as he looks to arm his side with more creativity in midfield.
It's said that Chelsea have entered talks with De Jong, though no agreement is currently in place. With a move away from the Camp Nou on the cards, the midfielder has told team-mates in the dressing room that he’d rather pen a deal at Stamford Bridge than Old Trafford, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
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De Jong, who sees his contract at Barcelona expire in 2026, is said to earn close to £360,000-a-week making him one of the best-paid players. But, the Spanish giants owe him £17million in deferred wages from the pandemic, according to The Telegraph.
Despite the Spanish side's well-documented financial struggles, officials at the club seem unwilling to let De Jong leave. As quoted by the Mirror last month, Barcelona transfer chief Joan Laporta has insisted that the midfielder is not for sale: "Frenkie de Jong is a Barcelona player. We don't want to sell him unless we have no other choice.
"Of course, we know there are offers for De Jong, but we don't want to sell him. There are clubs that want him, not just United. We have no intention of selling him, he wants to stay.
"Frenkie is considered as one of the best midfielders in the world by all the experts. We are happy to have him. I'm going to do everything I can in my power so that Frenkie stays here, but there's also a salary issue, and that would have to be adjusted."
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