After losing their Bundesliga crown to Leverkusen, Bayern Munich have set their sights on signing Dutch midfielder Frenkie De Jong from Barcelona.
Although he is a key member of the midfield ranks at Barcelona, he remains a major interest to Bayern Munich ahead of the summer transfer window.
Bayern Munich has consistently shown interest in the 26-year-old midfielder, keeping him as a potential target to strengthen their squad. The club’s decision-makers are monitoring his status closely, ready to make a move if he’s put on the transfer market.
Yet, it’s not accurate to suggest that Bayern is currently pursuing an active deal for him. The main hurdle is the player’s substantial salary at Barcelona, which raises financial considerations for the German club.
It is possible that Frenkie de Jong could be available for a transfer fee ranging from €60 million to €70 million.
Nonetheless, Barcelona, facing financial pressures, needs to generate approximately €100 million to get their finances in order by the end of June. Selling De Jong, one of their highest-paid players, would also help to significantly lower their wage expenses.
The most notable moment when De Jong nearly left Barcelona was two years ago, when Manchester United and his former coach at Ajax, Erik ten Hag, worked hard to convince him to switch clubs.
However, De Jong chose to stay, partly because Barcelona had yet to pay him certain wages, and he played a crucial role in their La Liga triumph last season.
Frenkie de Jong is versatile, capable of playing both as a deep-lying playmaker (number six) and a more advanced midfielder (number eight), and he plays these roles effectively.
However, he doesn’t fit the mold of the physical defensive midfielder that Bayern Munich was seeking last summer, a role exemplified by players like Joao Palhinha.
Looking ahead, De Jong is expected to be a key figure for the Netherlands at the European Championship this summer, as the team aims to repeat the glory last achieved in 1988.
Collins Nwokolo
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