Transfer gossip: Arsenal learn midfielder price; De Jong cheaper for Chelsea

Man Utd target Frenkie de Jong spits water out

Frenkie de Jong is a £71m target for Chelsea but Arsenal will have to pay more for Moises Caicedo. Plus, Newcastle want Mason Mount.

 

DE JONG FOR DE CHELSEA?
Yesterday we would have written that Chelsea would not have a chance of luring Frenkie de Jong to the Bridge without Champions League football but maybe Graham Potter is going to do a Thomas Tuchel and win the damned thing. They finally got a slice of luck against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.

Now Fichajes claim that Chelsea are planning a summer move for the Dutchman who is still thought to be a target for Manchester United, who look rather more likely to be in the Champions League next season. The Blues will apparently pay £71m for De Jong; he doesn’t want to leave but Barcelona might well pile on the pressure as they need to save money this summer and he is very much a sellable asset.

 

CAICEDO OVER OSIMHEN FOR ARSENAL?
There was giddy talk on Tuesday about Arsenal moving for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen but transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has dismissed that idea, saying: “I don’t have it confirmed, as of now. Arsenal have Gabriel Jesus, Nketiah, Balogun and also, Osimhen’s price tag will be really huge. I think Arsenal have different priorities for this summer, including a new midfielder.”

And they will need all their money for that midfielder, if Football Insider are to be believed. They claim that Brighton will demand over £90m for Moises Caicedo after they rather cleverly gave him a new contract. They’re clever, those damned Seagulls.

 

MOUNT IN DEMAND
We have written much on these pages about Mason Mount being linked with Liverpool – we think the Chelsea midfielder is looking for love – but MailOnline claim that Newcastle United are interested, seeing the England man as a relatively cheap way of making a marquee signing.

The report says: ‘They admire Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid Florian Wirtz and Leicester winger Harvey Barnes, and still want cover and competition for Fabian Schar at right centre-back.

‘Mount could be available for cheaper than expected this summer given his contract situation and Chelsea’s determination not to see him depart on a free like defenders Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen did last summer.’

We think Barnes might be rather more achievable than Mount, somehow.

 

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