Manchester City have been linked with a surprise late move for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong, with reports in Spain claiming the Blues are 'showing a lot of interest' as they continue to reshape their midfield.
Elliot Anderson: Manchester City's marquee midfielder
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Yet another name has been added to the mix in a hectic midfield reshaping at the Etihad Stadium which has already seen Rodri, Tijani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva depart, and club record signing Elliot Anderson come in alongside a long list of rumoured stars.
Alongside the arrival of the £116 million England international, City have most recently welcomed Ayyoub Bouaddi to the club in a €100 million package deal from French side Lille, with many expecting the 18-year-old to be viewed as the long-term successor to Rodri.
Now, the latest name during a frantic end to the summer transfer window sees FC Barcelona's Frenkie De Jong tied with interest from Manchester City, as per claims from within Spanish media.
The Dutch international came to prominence as part of the talented generation that took Ajax to their first UEFA Champions League semi-final of the 21st century back in 2019, alongside names like Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Noussair Mazraoui and André Onana - all of whom eventually found their way to Manchester as United players.
Man City linked with Frenkie De Jong
According to El Chiringuito journalist Jose Alvarez Haya, Manchester City are “very keen” on Frenkie De Jong and are analysing whether to make a move for the Netherlands international before the window shuts.
The report suggests the club are weighing up the Dutchman’s situation and could decide whether to submit an offer this week, with the 29-year-old viewed as a possible marquee addition to a department in the midst of wholesale change.
What is the concern over Frenkie de Jong?
There is, however, a significant complication attached to any potential deal in that Frenkie De Jong sustained an injury while on international duty with the Netherlands at the World Cup, and on 23 July, Barcelona confirmed the former Ajax man had suffered a tear of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee.
The Catalan club stated the midfielder would undergo conservative treatment rather than surgery, but did not put a timeframe on his recovery, with suggestions elsewhere that he could be sidelined for several months.
It is little surprise, then, that Manchester City are said to be seeking assurances over his fitness before committing to any decisive move, with the state of his knee likely to prove the determining factor in whether their interest hardens into a concrete bid.
How reliable is the De Jong to Manchester City link?
As with any late-window rumour, a degree of caution is warranted. The report stems primarily from a journalist whose coverage is largely focused on Barcelona, raising the possibility that the story has been floated to cast fresh uncertainty over the Dutchman’s future in Catalunya rather than to reflect advanced concrete interest from the Etihad Stadium.
It is worth noting, too, that Frenkie De Jong only signed a new contract at Barcelona last October, committing his future to the club until 2029, while Transfermarkt currently values him at around €35 million. Those are hardly the hallmarks of a player actively being pushed towards the exit.
For all that, the notion of adding a midfielder of De Jong’s pedigree and passing quality is one that will appeal to Manchester City supporters as Enzo Maresca looks to rebuild with intelligence and control at the heart of his side.
Whether the interest is genuine and gathers pace, or proves nothing more than deadline-week noise from across the continent, should become clearer in the coming days as the window races towards its conclusion.