Liverpool are hoping to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong in 2025 with the La Liga giants open to selling, according to reports.
The Netherlands international has been heavily linked with a move to the Reds’ arch-rivals Man Utd over the last couple of years with their old manager Erik ten Hag a big fan of his compatriot.
A recent report claimed that new boss Ruben Amorim vetoed the club’s plan to press ahead with interest in De Jong as he looks for ‘a different type of player for the midfield’.
De Jong has suffered with injury during his time at Barcelona but an earlier report has claimed Liverpool see him as an ‘ideal replacement’ for Ryan Gravenberch, who is being eyed by Real Madrid.
After 224 appearances for Barcelona, it could now be time for De Jong to leave the Catalan giants with reports in Spain claiming that the La Liga side ‘need to get rid’ of the midfielder in 2025.
Otherwise Barcelona face ‘an incredible risk of seeing him pack his bags the following year’ which would mean De Jong leaving on a free transfer and not ‘leaving a single euro in the coffers’ at the Camp Nou.
That is a scenario that Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco ‘want to avoid at all costs’ after spending around €85m on signing him from Ajax almost six years ago.
De Jong is the ‘highest paid player in the dressing room, along with Robert Lewandowski’ and they ‘have long since decided to try to sell’ the 27-year-old.
Liverpool ‘want to sign’ the Netherlands international and have made an ‘offer’ of €40m (£33m) with Liverpool ‘looking to take advantage of their current situation to secure his services for a ridiculous amount’.
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Arne Slot, who has made an incredible start to life as new Liverpool boss, ‘has advised the board to try to sign’ De Jong as the Reds look to grab a ‘bargain’ ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool are ‘not willing to do anything crazy’ with their offer ‘a low-cost proposal of 30 million fixed and 10 million in variables, which they hope will convince Laporta and Deco to let Frenkie go.’
The Reds are currently seven points ahead of Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League table and lead defending champions Manchester City by nine points.
And former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant reckons Slot’s side are benefitting from being less dependant on one player like Man City with Rodri.
Pennant told Mega Dice: “Liverpool aren’t as dependant on one player as Manchester City are with Rodri. I don’t think if Liverpool were to lose Ryan Gravenberch to injury at any point that it would be too costly to their season.
“We saw it against Newcastle, Dominic Szoboszlai and Alexis MacAllister filled in for him when he was taken off and can perform well in that position and do a job, and there was a little burst of energy in the middle of the park.
“If they did lose him to injury it would hurt, of course, because what he’s been doing this season has been fantastic and he does help Liverpool get out of trouble. Liverpool are proven without him, though, so it certainly wouldn’t be as detrimental as we’ve seen the loss of Rodri has been to City.”