Transfer Centre

Barcelona 'beat Manchester City to £68m Frenkie de Jong'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 10 January 2019

Barcelona 'beat Man City to £68m De Jong'

Barcelona reportedly win the race to sign in-demand Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong for £68m, although they will have to wait until the summer before he joins.

Barcelona have reportedly beaten a host of Europe's top clubs to the signature of in-demand Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The 21-year-old has established himself as a key player for both club and country over the past year, with his performances attracting interest from the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Pep Guardiola is understood to have earmarked the youngster as a possible long-term replacement for Fernandinho, but Mundo Deportivo claims that De Jong has now agreed terms with Barca.

However, the Spanish champions will have to wait until the summer before De Jong officially joins, with the midfielder having ruled out the possibility of a mid-season exit from Ajax.

Terms could be finalised between the two clubs as early as this weekend, and the deal is expected to be worth around €75m (£68m).

De Jong has made 27 appearances for Ajax across all competitions this season, scoring three goals.