Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - November 5, 2022. FC Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong celebrates scoring their second goal with Ansu Fati.
Chelsea are preparing a big-money offer to bring Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong to the Premier League, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Previous talks held
The Blues have several central players soon out of contract, with N’Golo Kante and Denis Zakaria’s deals expiring this summer and Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in 2024.
The Dutchman turned down a move to Manchester United last year despite Erik ten Hag being keen on a reunion and it sounds like Graham Potter is hoping to entice him to Stamford Bridge instead.
Football.London report that the SW6 outfit have admired the 25-year-old for several years, having held talks regarding a potential deal when Thomas Tuchel was in charge.
The Latest: Chelsea readying bid
Now, according to Spanish reports (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are ‘planning to launch an offer that would be around €80m’ (£71m).
It’s believed this would be compiled of a fixed sum plus added bonuses, but Todd Boehly might find it difficult to prise him away.
The Camp Nou maestro ‘would not be willing’ to leave the La Liga outfit as it stands so a deal could prove tricky to complete on the personal side.
Would you like Chelsea to sign De Jong?
Yes, he'd be perfect!
No, too expensive!
The Verdict: No-brainer
De Jong has been dubbed a ‘monster’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and should the opportunity to sign him somehow arise, Chelsea have a no-brainer of a decision to make.
The Nike-sponsored ace has posted 34 goal contributions for Barcelona and currently ranks in the 97th percentile for most progressive carries per game by midfielders in the top leagues.
The Arkel native also knows how to control the game with a 90.5% pass success rate and would offer flexibility with his ability to operate in six different positions across the field.
The Blues have a major task on their hands if they want to secure De Jong, but with him sharing the same agent as Zakaria, this could prove to be a useful advantage in getting a deal over the line.
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