Arne Slot ‘directs’ Liverpool to make €35m bid in Arsenal battle as Barcelona ‘could force departure’
Liverpool and Arsenal reportedly view Frenkie de Jong as an ‘ideal piece’ to add to their midfields this summer and Arne Slot has ‘directed’ his Red bosses to make a €35m offer for the Barcelona star.
De Jong has long-been linked with the Premier League, and Manchester United even agreed a £56m fee with Barcelona for him in the summer of 2022, only for the Dutchman to reject their advances to remain at the Nou Camp.
He’s been consistently linked with an exit ever since as the Catalans look to ease their financial concerns, and with his contract expiring in 2026 rumours of his departure continue.
The 27-year-old captained Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan on Wednesday, which finished 3-3, but has started just seven La Liga games this season.
“I want to play soccer and then I’ll see what the club wants to do with me and then I’ll decide what I want to do, along with my agent and my family,” De Jong said recently when asked about his future.
Spanish outlet Todo Fichajes claim De Jong still ‘values his life in Barcelona and his dream of succeeding in the club’ but also recognises that his ‘continuity depends on his prominence’ in a team that has frequently proven this season that it can do without him.
There are said to be two options in Barcelona’s mind: sell him this summer or get him to agree a new deal with a reduced salary. De Jong currently earns a whopping £365,000 per week.
As things stand, De Jong ‘gives priority to extending his contract’ but ‘the club could force his departure if there is no renewal agreement’, with ‘the Premier League is emerging as the most likely destination’ should fresh terms not be agreed.
Despite interest from Manchester United and Chelsea in the past, the report now claims that it’s Liverpool and Arsenal who ‘top the English list of suitors’, considering him an ‘ideal piece for his quality, experience and versatility’.
But it’s Liverpool who appear to be furthest along in their bid to sign De Jong, with Slot pushing sporting director Richard Hughes to make a bid for the midfielder.
The report states:
‘Liverpool, under the direction of Arne Slot, would be willing to present an offer of about 35 million euros, although Barça expects to receive proposals close to 50-70 million to let him out.’
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De Jong said after the dramatic draw with Inter that he and his teammate feel they have what it takes to “do something special”.
“Yeah, this team is very good, we have a lot of energy, we’re playing good games,” he told TNT Sports.
“We feel we have the team to do something special. Hopefully, we can prove that in the coming weeks. We will go for it.”
“It was a nice game to play, it always is in the Champions League, maybe the semi-finals even more. Both teams played their heart out.
“We knew it was going to be hard. Inter are a very good team – it was a bad start from us. We have a lot of confidence in our abilities, and we knew we could [come back].”
