Reports: Manchester United, Barcelona, PSG, and Real Madrid targeting €80m Dutch midfielder
What's the rumour?
According to Telegraaf (h/t Dutch football journalist Elko Born), Manchester United is contemplating signing Ajax star, Frenkie de Jong during the January transfer window.
He is also being targeted by clubs like Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain, and La Liga champions, Barcelona and Real Madrid, though the Red Devils are said to be leading the race.
As per the reports, the deal for the midfielder could be up to €80 million.
In case you didn't know…
The best thing about De Jong is his versatility. He can play as a central midfielder, defensive midfielder or even a centre-back.
He is the best player at Ajax in terms of passing accuracy. The youngster has played two matches for his country, Netherlands.
The heart of the matter
De Jong is one of the most skilful players to watch in European football. Earlier, he was targeted by Manchester City during the summer transfer window, but the deal did not go through.
Real Madrid sees the 21-year-old as an ideal replacement to Luka Modric and wants to outbid Barcelona and Manchester United for the Dutch midfielder.
Barcelona wants to buy him as they see him as a potential future key figure in the central midfield position. They think his style of play fits their philosophy.
At Old Trafford, Nemanja Matic is turning 31 which means he would not play for long. Paul Pogba could move to Barcelona in the next transfer window, so United needs to find a midfielder. They see De Jong as a successor to Pogba.
PSG is hunting for a midfielder who can help them with their defence. De Jong can be an ideal fit for this position.
Video: The best of De jong
Rumour probability/rating: 6/10
Telegraaf is quite a reliable source. De Jong can join any club depending on the price quoted by them. He would be happy with €80 million, given the fact that he had joined Ajax from Willem II for just €300,000.
What's next?
The January transfer window will be an eventful period where PSG, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Barcelona would go for an all-out war to get De Jong to their side. He should focus on gaining experience and honing his skills.