Chelsea should hijack this Manchester United transfer target

It’s become apparent over the last few weeks that, despite supporters’ beliefs and blind arrogance before the season, Chelsea is not where it needs to be right now. The Blues have a lot of issues within the squad as cracks have started to appear in the foundation over the course of the campaign. The unprecedented and unnecessarily complex issue of government sanctions has left the club’s hierarchy helpless since the United Kingdom dropped the hammer on Roman Abramovich. The light at the end of the tunnel looks to finally be appearing though.

The long, drawn-out process has only expanded these cracks since the sanctions were brought down. Chelsea was unable to engage in crucial contract conversations with key players like Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger. The defensive pair is now destined for Spain—joining Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively—creating even more holes within the squad. However, the Blues are finally nearing a conclusion to the takeover saga, which opens up the door for future transfer negotiations. One of the top priorities for Chelsea should be hijacking the latest transfer rumor surrounding a big six Premier League rival, Manchester United.

Chelsea should hijack Manchester United’s transfer of Frenkie de Jong

The Red Devils, having just announced their new manager, Erik ten Hag, are looking to make a splash. They’ve had an underwhelming season and things need to change quickly on the red side of Manchester. Supporters will begin to grow restless if this poor form continues, especially considering the world class signing (Erling Haaland) that their cross-town rival (Manchester City) just made. These factors have led to direct rumors that Manchester United is in discussions with Barcelona over the transfer of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

Ten Hag is the obvious connection here given the history between the Ajax manager and his former wonderkid. The 25-year-old is seen as one of the world’s most skilled midfielders and the Red Devils will look to please both their new head coach and fans with this signing. Regardless, there are numerous reasons as to why Chelsea should swoop in and attempt to hijack this transfer transaction in the eleventh hour.

The first reason is obvious: supply and demand.

The only reason Barcelona is looking to offload de Jong in the first place is due to the need for financial flexibility. It’s no secret the Blaugrana have had monetary issues over the last year and they’ve been able to creatively work around them for quite some time. As the transfer window prepares to open again, it’s time for a salary dump and that’s exactly why this move is coming to fruition so quickly. But in the end, Chelsea has multiple assets that Barcelona desires.

The Blues will likely be in the market for a midfielder and the Blaugrana have shown serious interest in both Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta. The La Liga giants have displayed a willingness to complete swap deals if they are beneficial for them in the past, and this would be no different. A potential swap deal would soften the financial blow for Chelsea as de Jong will likely cost an arm and a leg on the open market. It seems as if the two sides have a positive relationship brewing, so why not test the waters early on and offer a solution that works for both teams?

Another reason the Blues should chase de Jong’s signature is because he could help elevate the midfield. Jorginho and N’Golo Kante are over the hump and into their 30s now. This is historically dicey territory for the club. Seeing as the pair now has just 12 months remaining on their respective contracts, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see both sold this summer. Thomas Tuchel is seemingly in it for the long run with Chelsea, so it’s only right that Todd Boehly rewards him with a brand spanking new midfield. De Jong can be viewed as a cheaper alternative to Declan Rice without much—if any—drop in quality. This would allow the Blues to explore other options in addition to the Dutchman.

Time after time it seems as if Chelsea has missed out on signing the next big superstar. Although de Jong has failed to live up to expectations during his time at the Camp Nou—largely because of the team’s unimaginable drop in quality over the years—he’s still got a lot of potential. This offers the club a chance to right its past wrongs.

The Blues may not have the same pull as ten Hag, but they do have his former teammate, Hakim Ziyech, and a world class manager in Tuchel. They will also be playing Champions League football next season, something Manchester United will have to wait at least another year and a half to do again. Simply put, this is a move that makes sense for both player and club. It’d be a shame to see the Blues sit idly by as the Red Devils make a statement signing to back their new manager, which is exactly why they should pull the trigger and go after de Jong in the coming weeks.

Do you think Chelsea should pursue de Jong this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!