FC Barcelona is poised to receive a hefty $100 million (£80 million) bid for one of its standout players from Chelsea, with owner Todd Boehly slated to journey to Catalonia to kick off talks soon, as per El Nacional.
Barca finds itself ensnared in debt and struggling to keep pace in the transfer market, compounded by the challenges of navigating Financial Fair Play regulations.
It’s widely acknowledged that the club will likely need to offload a marquee player or two this summer to bolster their ranks at the Montjuic Stadium, ensuring they don’t run into hurdles registering new signings or renewing contracts for existing squad members.
Reports suggest that Barcelona is reluctant to part ways with Ronald Araujo, who has attracted interest from Bayern Munich, viewing him as the linchpin of their central defense alongside 17-year-old La Masia graduate Pau Cubarsi. Meanwhile, options abound in midfield, where Pedri and Gavi are deemed “untouchable,” but Frenkie de Jong emerges as the most viable asset for a lucrative sale without sacrificing the two Spanish prodigies.
Although De Jong was made available for transfer in 2021 when Barcelona accepted a substantial $90 million (€85 million) bid from Manchester United, his status within the team has since evolved. The Dutchman has proven his mettle to departing head coach Xavi Hernandez, transitioning from a bench role to an undisputed starter alongside Ilkay Gundogan and Pedri.
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In a stance reminiscent of their approach to Araujo, Barcelona isn’t actively seeking to offload De Jong but is open to considering offers in the ballpark of $107 million (€100 million) for his services, according to Mundo Deportivo. The board is endeavoring to persuade De Jong to extend his contract for an additional three seasons, thereby spreading out the deferred payments from the pandemic over the duration of his extended tenure with the club.
As elucidated by Esport3, De Jong currently commands the highest salary among first-team members, set to earn $26.7 million (€24.8 million) this season, $25 million (€23.2 million) next season, and $24.8 million (€23 million) in the final year of his contract.
Should De Jong prove reluctant to make concessions, Chelsea stands poised to potentially alleviate Barcelona’s financial strain, with owner Todd Boehly prepared to engage in negotiations directly, as reported by El Nacional.