Watch out Ten Hag! Chelsea ‘could UNDERSTAND Manchester United’s move for Frenkie de Jong as Blues monitor developments between midfielder and Red Devils in case their £70m deal falls through’
- Manchester United’s move for midfielder Frenkie de Jong is 90 percent complete
- United will pay around an initial £55m which could rise to £70m for him
- But Premier League rivals Chelsea are said to be monitoring the situation closely
- Blues could swoop for midfielder if Red Devils deal falls through
By Isabelle Baldwin for Mailonline
Posted: 07:40, July 2, 2022 | Updated: 08:06, July 2, 2022
Manchester United could face competition for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while Chelsea are reportedly monitoring the situation.
The Dutchman has been Erik ten Hag’s No.1 target since arriving at Old Trafford, and Sportsmail’s sources have indicated that a deal between United and Barcelona for the Dutch star is “90 per cent” complete, with only the finer details still to be finalised. .
It is understood that United will initially pay around £55m to the Spanish club for De Jong. That fee could rise to nearly £70m.
Manchester United could make a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong
However, Chelsea could be planning a swoop for the midfielder. The Blues are monitoring progress on signing De Jong from United, according to The Guardian.
The report claims the west Londoners are yet to progress but could pounce if the Red Devils’ move fails.
The Blues watched De Jong closely before he left Ajax in 2019 and manager Thomas Tuchel is said to be a fan.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel is said to be a fan of the Dutchman and the club are monitoring him
However, De Jong appears to be edging closer to a move to Old Trafford, with personal terms still to be agreed.
De Jong’s close relationship with Ten Hag was one of the key factors in his decision and personal terms are unlikely to be agreed to be an issue.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are understood to be targeting other areas, including strengthening their defense following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen from Stamford Bridge.
The likes of Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt and Sevilla’s Jules Kunde are said to continue to be of interest at the back.
De Jong’s relationship with Erik Ten Haag (right) was one of the key factors in his decision
Talks between Manchester City and Chelsea over a deal for Raheem Sterling have accelerated
However, Raheem Sterling and Leeds United’s Brazil star Rafinha are believed to be targets up front.
Midfield for the Blues is less of a priority as Tuchel had Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Saul Niguez at his disposal.
But the west London outfit could be looking for reinforcements as Saul has returned to Atletico Madrid and Jorginho and Kante are out of contract next summer.
However, Conor Gallagher returns to Stamford Bridge after an impressive loan spell at Crystal Palace as another addition to the German boss’ squad.
Add Comment