Chelsea and Man Utd battle it out: Ranking the contenders to sign Frenkie de Jong
Stefan Bienkowski
- 14 Dec 2021 20:01 GMT
- 4 min read
Barcelona’s financial troubles and issues on the pitch make January a perfect opportunity for Frenkie de Jong to draw a line under his spell in Spain and move on to another club.
The Netherland’s international made the move to Barca in 2019 for no less than €86 million but since then the club has all but fallen apart and ceased to be the European giant that it once was.
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As such, a number of clubs are keeping tabs on De Jong’s availability ahead of the January window and could be tempted to make a bid.
So which of Europe's super clubs is most likely to entice the midfielder away from Barcelona?
5. Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have looked extremely impressive on the pitch this season but that has come in spite of the club’s troubling lack of depth in midfield.
De Jong would be an excellent addition to the German giants and would likely settle in quite nicely alongside Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, but the player’s price tag is surely too much for Bayern to stomach at the moment.
4. Chelsea
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel may be able to call on some excellent midfielders at the moment, but that won’t last for long.
Indeed, N’Golo Kante can’t go on forever and De Jong could prove to be an excellent long-term replacement for the France international.
However, despite having the funds to pull off such a move, it’s unlikely that Chelsea would pull the trigger on this one anytime soon.
3. Manchester United
Another English club that could seriously tempt De Jong to the Premier League are none other than Manchester United.
The Old Trafford side have a number of squad players - like Jesse Lingard or Anthony Martial - that Barca could be tempted to include in the sale of De Jong, which makes such a deal rather likely.
However, the player’s father has recently suggested that De Jong would be put off a move to England because of the weather, which may scupper any hopes of a long-term future in Manchester.
2. Liverpool
Liverpool look strong in the Premier League and Champions League this season but, like Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp’s side will soon be in need of some long-term investment in the middle of the pitch.
The Anfield side don’t tend to blow their budget on players of De Jong’s status, but as they’ve shown with Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson, they’re happy to invest a fortune if it’s in the right player.
De Jong could certainly be the perfect addition to Liverpool’s midfield and as such the club may end up sanctioning such a move.
1. Manchester City
One club that could perhaps overcome De Jong’s reluctance with the British weather and afford to sign the midfielder at a moment’s notice are Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola has reportedly been a keen admirer of the Dutch box-to-box talent for some time and with Fernandinho, Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan all now over the age of 30, a long-term replacement may be necessary sooner rather than later.
