Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that the club received an eye-watering bid for Frenkie de Jong last year. The 26-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea and Manchester United not too long ago, but the Spanish giants blocked his departure.
Under Thomas Tuchel, football.london understood that the Blues liked the idea of signing De Jong and they were even confident of securing his signature. It's said that Chelsea were in talks with the Netherlands international over a potential move to Stamford Bridge at one stage, with the now-Bayern Munich boss eager to bolster his midfield with more creativity.
But, despite a dispute over his contract, De Jong decided to stay at Barcelona and he's since played an integral role in the club's recent success. The Dutchman, who sees his deal at the Camp Nou expire in 2026, featured 33 times for Barcelona in La Liga, directly contributing towards six goals from midfield.
