Transfer News: Chelsea closing in on a deal for Man United 25 year old transfer target De Jong

Chelsea are ready to sign Frenkie de Jong and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang if Barcelona allow both players to leave this month. Manchester Unitedagreed a £72m fee to sign De Jong last month but he is owed £17m in deferred wages and will not agree to leave until he is paid. Barcelona want him to stay but only if he agrees to take a significant pay cut and accept a £6m settlement for his deferred wages.

Chelsea are willing to match United’s £72m offer and unlike Manchester United, they can offer De Jong Champions League football.

Barcelona have told Frenkie de Jong they would like him to stay but only if he agrees to a significant pay cut and accepts a £6million settlement for his deferred wages. Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal worth £80million (£67.6million) with Barcelona for Frenkie De Jong. The Blues are waiting on a decision from the 25 year old, who would prefer to move to Stamford Bridge rather than join Manchester United.

Despite being Manchester United’s top transfer target for most of the summer, the 25 year old has started attracting serious interest from Chelsea with Thomas Tuchel keen to add to his midfield. Manchester United had a bid of around £72m accepted for the player’s services however the deal did not progress with the player reluctant to leave the Camp Nou as he was owed over £17m in wages by his current employers. According to a reports, Frenkie de Jong could join Chelsea before the summer transfer window shuts down. The Blues are on the verge of closing the agreement with Barcelona for the Dutch midfielder, with the package likely to be worth around €80 million.

Talks with Barcelona are also ongoing over the possible sale of Aubameyang, but it remains to be seen whether the former Arsenal captain would favour a move to Stamford Bridge.

There’s a feeling that Aubameyang will not force his way out of Barcelona, so it’s more or less on Chelsea to make the signing happen. If Aubameyang did sign, because of his age, then this would only be a short-term solution for Chelsea.

Reports suggest the Gabon international could leave the Camp Nou just seven months after joining the club. Aubameyang, left Arsenal in January after falling out of favour under Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium.