Manchester United could be set to lose out on two of Erik ten Hag's prime summer transfer targets with Chelsea intervening.
The Red Devils have welcomed three new faces to Old Trafford so far this summer - Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez swapping the Eredivisie for the Premier League, while Christian Eriksen has penned a three-year deal with the club.
The business is not expected to stop there, with a number of players around Europe linked with a switch to Old Trafford. One of the names United have a long-running interest in is Barcelona and Netherlands international midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
The Red Devils have already agreed a fee with Barcelona for the former Ajax star but the 25-year-old does not appear to be overly enamoured with the prospect of joining United.
One further problem that has put a spanner in the works of the Red Devils' move for De Jong is Premier League rivals, Chelsea. The Blues are also admirers of the midfielder and the prospect of Champions League football could see him favour a switch to Stamford Bridge should he elect to leave Barcelona this summer.
While the Blues have proven troublesome in the race for De Jong, the west Londoners could cause yet more problems as United continue pursuing another target. According to Sport, the Red Devils are interested in a move for USA defender Sergino Dest.
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Having previously worked under Ten Hag with Dutch giants Ajax, it is thought that he could provide excellent options at right-back with Aaron Wan-Bissaka's future at the club looking uncertain.
As per the reports in Spain, Dest's current employers Barcelona are willing to sell in the region of €20m (£16.6m) but only on one condition. The Catalan giants have been chasing the services of Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta throughout the summer and will only sell their current right-back if they secure the Spaniard.
That is where Chelsea come in once again. They are not keen on losing the former Marseille star, as confirmed by Thomas Tuchel.
Speaking earlier this month, he said: "I understand his wish [to join Barcelona], his concerns, his thoughts about his career and his personal life, but he is also our captain, a huge captain and a legend and a winner.
"And I don't see many reasons as my role as manager to give up on all these strengths that he has."
It of course remains to be seen whether an agreement can be reached but in the meantime, Chelsea appear close to adding even further to their defensive options. Brighton star Marc Cucurella is edging towards a move to Stamford Bridge, while Wesley Fofana has stirred speculation over his future.
