Hansi Flick wants Barcelona to sign Serie A midfielder before selling Frenkie de Jong - Reports
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has identified Atalanta's Ederson Dos Santos as a possible replacement for Frenkie de Jong, according to El Nacional. The Dutch midfielder is yet to kick a ball for the Catalans this season as he recovers from an ankle injury.
De Jong suffered from fitness issues last season as well, missing 21 games. His contract situation is another cause of concern for the La Liga giants. The Dutchman will enter the final year of his deal next summer and Barcelona have struggled to tie him down to an extension so far.
Interestingly, Rodri's recent ACL injury has added an interesting dimension to the saga. It is believed that Manchester City have identified De Jong as a possible replacement for the Spaniard and could knock on the door for his services in January.
The Catalans are reportedly open to his departure, for a proper fee, which would help them invest in a replacement. De Jong could be a perfect fit in Pep Guardiola's possession-based system.
Hansi Flick has reportedly given his green signal to the move and has advised Barcelona to sign Ederson as his replacement. The German manager believes that the Brazilian would be an ideal fit for his tactics and wants him in before De Jong leaves.
The 25-year-old has been indispensable for Atalanta since arriving at the Gewiss Stadium in the summer of 2022. Last season, he played a key role in the Serie A side's triumphant run in the Europa League. Ederson ended the campaign with seven goals and one assist from 53 games across competitions.
His ability to recover lost balls and pull the strings from the middle of the park make him a good fit at Camp Nou. The Brazilian is expected to cost €40m, and that money could be recovered once the De Jong deal goes through.
Barcelona will face competition from the Premier League for Ederson
Barcelona, unfortunately, are not the only club eyeing Ederson at the moment. The Brazilian was reportedly a wanted man this summer and was monitored by multiple suitors across the continent.
Ederson was considered as an option by Atletico Madrid before they eventually settled on Conor Gallagher, as per the aforementioned report. Manchester United, Liverpool, and Newcastle United were also linked with the Brazilian throughout the summer, but he ended up staying with Atalanta.