Arsenal can explore the possibility of signing Frenkie De Jong from Barcelona. The Catalan club are reportedly willing to sell, and he would fit perfectly into Mikel Arteta’s system.
According to Spanish outlet El Chringuito, Barcelona could let the Dutchman leave for £58m this summer. The club no longer considers him an indispensable member of the squad, and Manchester United have reportedly shown an interest.
Despite the clear links between Erik ten Hag’s recent Manchester United appointment and the possible chance of a reunion with De Jong after spending time at Ajax together. The midfielder has already given Mikel Arteta a hint on why he could be willing to join the Gunners over the Manchester side, if he does leave Barcelona.
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Speaking to Voetbal International back in 2019, he said: "I actually thought Arsenal was pretty beautiful in the past.
"In my mind, I have had the following list for a long time: Ajax-Arsenal-Barcelona, call it the Marc Overmars route. But yes, if you can go directly to Barcelona, then you are also right where you want to be. Faster than you ever dared to dream."
Arsenal could be left short in midfield this summer, football.london understands that Roma are expected to make a fresh attempt to sign Granit Xhaka at the end of the season.
This will mean that Thomas Partey would be the only experienced midfielder in the team. Mohamed Elneny’s contract is set to expire in June and Albert Sambi Lokonga still needs time to mature.
De Jong would be an excellent signing by Arsenal and it is a deal they should be pursuing. The Gunners will need strengthening in the midfield position, and the Dutchman would be an ideal candidate judging by the types of midfielders that Edu has been targeting ahead of next season, and the fact that he is available for such a bargain.
The 24-year-old joined Barcelona in 2019 and has been one of the standout players since arriving from Ajax, but has struggled to stamp his mark on the club due to external issues surrounding Barcelona. He would be the perfect partner in midfield for Thomas Partey, and the two would create a dominant midfield for Mikel Arteta, who is currently in desperate need of a player in the middle of the park who can control football matches.
De Jong certainly fits this bill, which was proved early into his career during Ajax’s magnificent 2018/2019 Champions League run, where the midfielder was arguably the Dutch side's most important player, as they eliminated powerhouses such as Real Madrid and Juventus from the competition. The 24-year-old is also excellent with his ball progression and can break defensive lines from a deep position, he would certainly be the perfect signing for Arsenal, and Edu must do whatever it takes to bring him to the Emirates.
A move to Manchester United would seem likely due to the appointment of ten Hag, but a transfer attempt for the excellent midfielder will not be an outrageous decision by Edu, as he previously admitted to being open to joining Arsenal.
