Barcelona push for De Jong but Ajax want €50m

Frenkie de Jong is getting closer and closer to Barcelona. At the Camp Nou they are confident that the player's desire for the transfer could work in their favour and get the deal over the line. Ajax, for their part, are reluctant to lose such a key member of their squad and have said they won't accept anything less than €50m for the Dutchman. While Ajax do have a history of selling their young starlets, the club would prefer to keep hold of him for another season at least. This means it'll be down to the player himself to force a move through if he wants to go this summer.

Barcelona have been following De Jong's progress for a while now. They've seen him development into a star and last season in particular caught the attention of Barça's scouts. His file was handed over to Ernesto Valverde who also gave the green light to the move. The only doubt Barcelona have at the moment is whether they push for a move this summer or allow him another season to grow at Ajax before bringing him in.

Barcelona have spoken to the De Jong's entourage and the player is ready to move to Spain. De Jong has a strong bond with Ajax but at the same time realises this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to join an elite side. He's rejected interest from other clubs because his heart is set on a move to the Camp Nou.

The new sporting project at Barcelona have been searching for a midfielder with the necessary ability to succeed at Barcelona, someone who can become important to the team. In the meeting with Valverde the coach made it clear he wanted someone who was good on the ball. The most obvious options came with extremely high price tags. The player Barcelona liked the most was Christian Eriksen but Tottenham refused to negotiate his sale. Verratti, who was a target last year, now no longer fits the profile the club is after and this means De Jong, who is a good option for the present and the future, is at the head of the queue.

Ajax don't even want to hear about De Jong's potential exit from the club. They aren't in a position where they need to sell after already cashing in on Justin Kluivert. They want at least €50m for De Jong to even begin negotiations. Barcelona feel that price is excessive but are confident they can restart talks soon as the relationship between the two clubs is good.

Whatever happens with De Jong, one name Barcelona can count on for their midfield next season is the Brazilian Arthur. He'll arrive and must adapt to European football. In the case of De Jong, despite his young age, the club is convinced he could adapt to Barcelona's style. Now we need to wait and see if an agreement can be reached.