Chelsea to challenge Manchester United for Frenkie de Jong after opening talks with Barcelona

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has held talks with Barcelona president Joan Laporta as the Blues look to beat United to the Dutch midfielder

Chelsea are in discussion with Barcelona over the transfer of Frenkie de Jong, with the London club now looking the likeliest club to sign the midfielder. Manchester United are currently weighing up whether to continue their interest in the signing.

The Old Trafford hierarchy had agreed a deal in principle with Barcelona a month ago, but the Catalan club have become frustrated with its progress, especially as the player himself has proved obstinate over both the issue of €17m in deferred wages and the very fact he is being forced out.

While there have been repeated claims from Spain that is most bluntly down to the fact he does not want to go to United, there has been a strong belief within Old Trafford that he is willing to come.

De Jong has naturally been speaking to his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, and is close to him, but that may be trumped by the fact Chelsea are a London-based club in the Champions League. United have effectively been caught in a dispute between club and player, but one that has now seen Barcelona get increasingly alert to the fact time is running out to get players off the books in order to register new signings.

The Independent has been told that, although United have long felt the transfer could go to the wire, Barcelona expected De Jong to be gone by now. It is for that reason that Barcelona have heightened talks with Chelsea, and there is hope something can be done more quickly, including the resolution of the stand-off over deferred wages.

De Jong has naturally been mentioned in discussions between the two clubs over potential deals for players like Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso, and Todd Boehly and Joan Laporta directly discussed the Dutch midfielder in their dinner meeting.

Talks have reached new levels in the last few days, as Barcelona look to accelerate the 25-year-old’s exit. Chelsea are currently pursuing three deals in De Jong, Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana and Brighton and Hove Albion’s Marc Cucurella.

Completing the signings could take their spending up by £200m, and they would then need to be assured of offloading players. Barcelona would be willing recipients of Alonso and Azpilicueta, and there is an increasing feeling a deal can be done.