Chelsea are now in talks with Barcelona over the signing of Frenkie de Jong this summer, football.london understands. Thomas Tuchel wants to add more creativity to his midfield, and De Jong has been identified as the man to bring that.
Manchester United – who agreed an €85million (£71m) fee with Barcelona earlier in the summer for De Jong – have been actively pursuing a deal to bring the Netherlands international to Old Trafford throughout the summer transfer window. On a couple of occasions, United have looked close, but De Jong has made it clear he wants to stay at Barcelona.
However, with Chelsea now coming in – who can offer both Champions League football and the lure of living in London – the 25-year-old could be tempted. Chelsea are now in direct talks with Barca and are quietly confident they can agree on a fee to bring the Dutchman to the Premier League.
READ MORE: Frenkie de Jong to Chelsea latest: Direct talks, £71m fee, Man Utd hijack, Barcelona stance
Barca manager Xavi recently admitted he was unsure over De Jong's future and refused to rule out an exit for the former Ajax midfielder this summer. Barca's financial problems are well publicised, and it could make sense to offload one of their most valuable stars.
"I don't know if he is going to stay," Xavi said. "There is still time, and a lot of things can still happen. At the moment, he's part of the team – like everyone else."
He added: "The fact that he played as a central defender in the other games was not a sign that he was leaving. I don't need to send signals on the pitch. I can speak directly with my footballers."
There's no denying De Jong's talent – that's why he is one of the most sought-after midfielders in European football. And at 25, he theoretically has his best years in front of him.
His former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi is a big fan of the Dutchman's talents. Former Barca boss Ronald Koeman shed light on Messi's admiration for De Jong last year.
Speaking to De Telegraaf via the Manchester Evening News, Koeman said: "When I arrived, I told Frenkie: 'This is your second season, you have to make a step higher now, you need to do more than just play along'. This sounds cruel, but he got the message.
"I told him to take more responsibility. To arrive in the opponent's box more.
"During these conversations, I also involved Messi. Messi told Frenkie that he's a fantastic player. He becomes happy around a player like Frenkie because he wants to have pure football players around him.
"When we talk with the three of us, Messi shares his opinion towards Frenkie. He always tries to activate him, as Messi believes that Frenkie can reach a much higher level. He finds him a very intelligent player."
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