Why Chelsea could have an edge over Man Utd for De Jong
Karan Tejwani
- 1 Aug 2022 03:44 CDT
- 3 min read
Barcelona are open to selling midfielder Frenkie de Jong and there is plenty of interest in the Dutchman, with Manchester United and Chelsea considering their options.
Manchester United have been in negotiations with Barcelona for over two months, even agreeing a €75 million fee, with €10 million in add-ons, but a move is yet to be completed.
The player is still waiting to receive the deferred wages he is owed by the club since agreeing to it when the club was undergoing financial issues as a result of the pandemic.
The Red Devils, though, may face stiff competition from their Premier League rivals, who may feel they have an edge in the race for De Jong.
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Deal between Barcelona and Chelsea could benefit all
Barcelona and Chelsea have been in a few transfer battles over the summer, with the transfers of Raphinha and Jules Kounde fiercely contested by the two and both going to the Camp Nou.
The two clubs, could, though come to a deal that sees both clubs benefit, as Barcelona are keen on signing two Chelsea players and the Blues could get De Jong.
Barcelona are keen to strengthen their defensive options, and have targeted Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso to add to their depth.
As a result, a deal where Chelsea offer both Azpilicueta and Alonso in a deal to bring over De Jong could benefit both clubs and perhaps suit the Dutchman more.
There have been reports from Spain suggesting that De Jong isn’t all that keen on a move to Manchester United due to the fact that they can’t offer Champions League football in the upcoming season.
A win in New York 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/XBXgUpy02i
— Frenkie de Jong (@DeJongFrenkie21) July 31, 2022
Additionally, De Jong also wants to be at a more stable club than Manchester United, and prefers the London atmosphere over that of Manchester, where the weather isn’t that great.
This means a deal between Barcelona and Chelsea could be beneficial, as Barcelona get their desired money and two transfer targets, Chelsea get a world class midfielder and De Jong continues playing Champions League football.
Barcelona have previously said they wish to keep De Jong, with Xavi reiterating the point this week, but it’s clear they need to sell players in order to register their new signings to allow them to play in La Liga.
If they are unable to sell the Dutchman, they will have to activate a third economic lever that would bring them more funds immediately and solve their short-term issues.
