Manchester United and Chelsea will reportedly learn more about their chances of landing Frenkie de Jong over the coming days as the in-demand Dutch midfielder is set for vital talks with Barcelona. The 25-year-old is thought to be seeking to find a resolution with the cash-strapped Catalan club over the unpaid wages he is owed in order to facilitate his Nou Camp stay, but a failure to reach an agreement would likely signal the end of his time with the Spanish giants.
Both United and Chelsea are pushing to capture the former Ajax star this summer, but De Jong’s reluctance to depart Barcelona continues to hold up a deal. The Blaugrana are thought to want to retain the midfielder’s services, but the club’s crippling financial crisis has complicated matters.
Barcelona face a race against time to register the string of new signings they have acquired this summer ahead of the start of the La Liga season next weekend. The Spanish side must significantly reduce their wage bill in order to rebalance the books and see their plethora of new stars approved by the league.
As a result of the financial constraints, Barcelona have issued De Jong with an ultimatum: take a sizeable wage cut in order to stay or leave the club this summer. The drawn-out transfer saga has dominated the summer window, but it could finally come to a conclusion this coming week.
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Despite a resistance to head to Old Trafford, De Jong remains a top target for United, who are understood to have seen an offer worth an initial £63m accepted. However, the Blues have also now entered the race for his signature.
Chelsea are thought to be progressing in their attempts to secure the Netherlands international and hold an edge over Premier League counterparts United as they are able to offer the midfielder Champions League football this season. United are not expected to engage in a bidding war over De Jong, who is gearing up for a crucial week.
