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Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are fighting to sign a talented Barcelona star
The Reds have been the dominant force in English football this season but remain in the market for a deep-lying-playmaker that can dictate possession and control the pattern of the game from the defensive midfield area.
Prior to Arne Slot’s arrival, in the summer of 2023, Liverpool went all out to try and sign ex-Brighton man Moises Caicedo for upwards of £100m and also went close when trying to land Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia that same summer. In the end, both young midfielders completed moves to Chelsea, and it remains an area of the pitch that the Reds would like to strengthen despite the incredible form of Ryan Gravenberch in that area.
Liverpool plot move for Frenkie de Jong
Spanish newspaper Fichajes has claimed that Arne Slot's new project seeks to build a dynamic engine room around Frenkie de Jong, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister playing in more advanced roles and Ryan Gravenberch also providing further depth from the bench.
The outlet explains that De Jong is seen as a feasible target by some of the biggest teams in England including Arsenal and Manchester City due to Barcelona’s current financial situation which leaves them likely to listen to offers for the 27-year-old as talks over a contract extension continue to stall.
His contract with Barca runs out in 12 months come the end of the season and talks have been held over a new deal. However, the Spanish club are keen for the player to take a paycut due to their current finances but the Dutchman is not open to that proposal which makes a sale this summer a possibility.
Why Liverpool are interested in Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie de Jong has long been regarded as one of the most gifted deep-lying playmakers in European football. Though Arne Slot has never managed him directly, he’ll be more than familiar with the player’s qualities having competed against De Jong’s Ajax team as a manager.
De Jong rose to prominence with Ajax after spending time in the academy at Willem and became a first team regular in 2017 after Erik ten Hag’s arrival as manager. In this period, he won a Dutch title and helped the club reach the semi-final of the Champions League while notably eliminating both Juventus and Real Madrid before falling short against Spurs on away goals.
The Dutch midfielder’s form earned him a £65m to Barcelona where has racked up 252 appearances, scoring 19 and contributing 23 assists across all competitions while winning a league title and two Copa del Rey trophies.
De Jong is a versatile defensive midfielder that has been compared by some to German great Franz Beckenbauer and has played alongside Virgil Van Dijk and Gravenberch at international level.
He’s only started seven league games in La Liga this season but has intriguingly been a regular in Europe with as many starts and 12 appearances in the competition so far while even captaining the side on occasion.
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