De Jong future decided in 48 hours as Chelsea get boost from Barcelona
Ben Jacobs
- Updated: 10 Aug 2022 13:21 BST
- 3 min read
The outcome of Chelsea’s pursuit for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong could be decided in the next 48 hours, CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs understands.
The De Jong transfer saga has been the longest running of the summer and was led by Manchester United for weeks.
Chelsea, though, have pushed their way into the driving seat and could soon tie down a move for the Netherlands international midfielder.
The Blues are optimistic that they can reach an agreement with Barcelona at just over the €80 million mark, slightly lower than Man Utd’s agreement.
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Chairman Todd Boehly has already spoken to De Jong directly but Chelsea will not place a formal bid for the player unless he commits to the move. So far, the former Ajax player is insistent that he wants to remain with the club.
Barcelona, though, appear to have decided that they want the transfer fee and the wage space to move for Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva. The player has already agreed to move to Camp Nou, but nothing has been settled with his club.
What this means, though, is that Barca have real urgency to resolve the De Jong situation, which has not been the case all summer, during which they have purposefully stalled on making a decision. This plays into Chelsea’s hands.
Will De Jong sign for Chelsea?
The terms that Chelsea have presented to De Jong are acceptable to the player, but the deal will hinge on whether he is willing to leave Barcelona – or even be ‘forced’ out of the club.
Barca do not have the control on the situation that they had over Ousmane Dembele, whose contract expired and then relented on his wage demands. De Jong’s deal runs until 2026.
Where do Man Utd stand on De Jong?
Manchester United have virtually given up on signing De Jong, meaning that Chelsea have a clear path for the Barcelona midfielder.
