Erik ten Hag made the Dutch international a top target after joining Manchester United in the summer of 2022, and the club relentlessly pursued a deal for him.
De Jong stubbornly refused to leave Barcelona, even though the club was willing to trade him.
Despite his pivotal role in Barcelona’s first La Liga triumph since 2019 last season, the 26-year-old is reportedly open to the thought of leaving the club at the end of the current campaign.
Reportedly, the upper echelons of Barcelona’s management ‘have misgivings’ about the Dutchman and are considering selling him to boost the club’s financial situation.
De Jong’s current deal is up for two more years, and he is one of Barcelona’s highest earners.
His representatives are aware that United, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain would be eager to sign him, but so far, there has been no progress in renewing his deal, according to Sport.
Even though they first showed intense interest in signing de Jong 18 months ago, United are still keen on making the move.
Even Chelsea, according to the source, would be ready to shell out a hefty sum—€85 million—to seal the deal.
Chelsea have already invested £280 million into restocking their midfield in the past year.
Earlier this year, in January, they spent £107 million to get Enzo Fernandez from Benfica. In the summer, they set a new club record by spending £114 million to acquire Moises Caicedo from Brighton.
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The midfielder’s enormous current salary has made it “impossible to reach an agreement or even negotiate,” despite Barcelona sporting director Deco’s attempts to initiate contract extension talks.
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