Chelsea to battle Manchester United for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong?

Chelsea are reportedly set to rival Manchester United in the race to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer.

The 25-year-old was the subject of a long-running transfer saga with Man United last summer, but a big-money move to Old Trafford ultimately failed to materialise.

The Red Devils eventually moved for Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, spending around £70m on the Brazilian who has quickly established himself as a key cog in Erik ten Hag's side this season.

A recent report claims that Man United still hold an interest in De Jong, with Ten Hag allegedly keen for the Red Devils to reignite their pursuit of the Netherlands international this summer.

However, Fichajes states that the 20-time English top-flight champions will face stern competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea for the midfielder's signature.

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The report adds that Chelsea believe De Jong would be a star signing for Graham Potter ahead of the 2023-24 campaign and they are preparing to launch an offer in the region of €80m (£71m) for the midfielder.

Blues co-owner Todd Boehly splashed out in excess of £600m on new players across the last two transfer window, but the West Londoners are expected to be active once again this summer, with a new midfielder believed to be high on their list of targets.

The futures of Mason Mount and N'Golo Kante have been called into question in recent months, with the latter out of contract this summer, while it remains to be seen whether Chelsea will look to sign Juventus loanee Denis Zakaria on a permanent deal.

Attempting to lure De Jong away from Barcelona could prove challenging, though, as the midfielder has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain at Camp Nou.

Asked by Catalan radio station RAC1 about a potential summer move, De Jong said: "I'm very calm, happy. I want to stay at Barcelona for many more years".

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Meanwhile, head coach Xavi has insisted that De Jong had no plans to leave Barca last summer and has suggested that he is keen for the former Ajax man to remain with the Catalan giants for years to come.

Speaking at a press conference last week, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News, Xavi said: "[De Jong] was very clear with me. He wanted to stay with us [last summer] and there was no doubt.

"He is our player and I am very happy and satisfied with his performance and leadership. He is in a great moment, like the whole team. I think he is having a good time well on the field, which is the most important thing."

Since joining Barcelona from Ajax in July 2019, De Jong has become a key player for the La Liga giants, contributing with 15 goals and 19 assists in 172 appearances across al competitions.

The deep-lying playmaker, who has won the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup during his time at Camp Nou, is under contract until the summer of 2026.