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Barcelona heading for €77m disaster in De Jong farce

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Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong situation has been a shambles from the beginning, but it is now becoming apparent just how badly the Catalan side have messed it up with the Dutchman.

All the power in the relationship is in the hands of the Netherlands star, and try as they might to move him on, the prospect of a summer transfer seems slim.

FootballTransfers has already debunked reports from Spain that indicated that De Jong has asked to leave the club – a source close to the situation described these frankly as “bulls***” – and yet the former Ajax player is a weight that Barca cannot carry.

Over the remaining two years of his contract, Barcelona will pay €77m for De Jong between unpaid transfer fees and his salary, RAC1 reports. For a club that is beset by financial difficulties, this is an astronomical figure.

Indeed, the report goes on to indicate that he is expected to renew his contract or leave. What is often left out is that Barca want De Jong to sign for a pittance compared to his current deal.

And even if Barcelona do somehow get De Jong to leave at this juncture, the fee they can demand for him is liable to be lower than they could have extracted from Manchester United 18 months ago, when the Red Devils chased the player relentlessly for a summer before splashing out more than €70 million on the ageing Casemiro.

The Catalans are reportedly pegging their price for De Jong against Chelsea’s deals for Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, worth €115m and €121m respectively.

The transfer market is not in a period of such excess, though. January 2024, when Lyon were the top spending club in the world, is evidence of a time of recession in transfer fees.

Despite this, Barcelona want at least €100m for a player who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €50m.

Financial Fair Play (FFP), as Barcelona are only too aware, has never been such an important consideration. Chelsea, Man Utd and to a lesser extent Arsenal, who are the leading three contenders for De Jong, are all clubs set to be impacted in 2024.

Chelsea have already signed their two marquee midfielders, Arsenal did so last year with their big-money move for Declan Rice, while Man Utd have multiple summer priorities and under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS are unlikely to throw around the type of silly money they once might have.

The Saudi Pro League may yet buck the trend, but good luck getting De Jong to accept a deal there if he has no interest in moving to one of Europe’s historic giants.

The idea that someone might pay €100m for Frenkie this summer is fanciful.

Tottenham have emerged as a viable alternative, but Gerard Romero reports that Spurs are only willing to pay €60m – less than Barca’s initial investment in the player.

And still there is the issue of whether De Jong would accept a contract with a team so famously incapable of winning trophies.

With De Jong content with his lot at Camp Nou, Barcelona have no easy solution to the problem he is causing them. They have well and truly got their timing wrong in this case.

 

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Transfers

West Ham Insist On £85 million To Sell Mohammed Kudus For Arsenal

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West Ham Insist On £85 million To Sell Mohammed Kudus For Arsenal

Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool have suffered a major blow in their pursuit of West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.

Mohammed Kudus has been linked with a move away from the club. Arsenal and Liverpool are two top clubs keen on signing the attacking midfielder. They were eyeing a cut-price deal for the Ghanaian international but according to a report from Football Insider, the Gunners and the Reds have suffered a blow as West Ham United won’t sell for a knockdown price.

Kudus arrived at the club in the summer of 2023 from Ajax in a deal worth £38 million. He had established himself as an exciting talent at the Dutch before making the move to the Premier League.

The transfer to England has gone according to plan for him as he has managed to establish himself as a key figure in the Hammers’ first team. He has gone from strength to strength over the past 18 months and his performances haven’t gone unnoticed.

While he prefers playing as a number ten, he can even feature on either flank. The Irons haven’t had an ideal start to the new campaign but he has been one of their standout performers. Kudus is currently serving a six-match ban following a sending-off against Tottenham for his violent conduct.

Arsenal and Liverpool suffer blow in Kudus pursuit
He might be out of action but his name is still attracting a lot of attention. Arsenal and Liverpool are believed to be big admirers of the 24-year-old who can feature anywhere in attack. Both clubs seek more firepower up top and they believe the Ghanaian international can help their cause.

The Gunners see him as someone who can bolster their attack as a whole while Liverpool consider him an ideal long-term replacement for Mohammed Salah. While both clubs were plotting a cut-price deal for the former Ajax star, they have suffered a blow as the Hammers have no intentions of letting him leave on the cheap.

He is considered a key figure in their team and is protected by a massive £85 million release clause which will once again be active next summer. The Irons are desperate to have him around for as long as possible and won’t accept any bid below his release clause. With his contract running until the summer of 2028, West Ham are well in control of the situation.

 

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Liverpool To Approach Real Madrid For Aurelien Tchouameni

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Liverpool To Approach Real Madrid For Aurelien Tchouameni

Liverpool will take advantage of the upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid by opening talks to sign 24-year-old Frenchman Aurelien Tchouameni.

According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Aurelien Tchouameni is the subject of interest from Liverpool. The Reds are eager to initiate discussions with Real Madrid regarding the availability of the 24-year-old midfielder, who Los Blancos might be open to selling next year.

Aurelien Tchouameni and his Real Madrid spell
Aurelien Tchouameni has enjoyed a solid spell since joining Real Madrid from AS Monaco in a big-money deal in July 2022. The reigning La Liga champions beat stiff competition from several European bigwigs, including Liverpool, to sign the Frenchman, who has made his mark in the last two seasons.

However, the 24-year-old has not stamped his authority, despite his solid performances thus far for Real Madrid. Tchouameni has turned out over 100 times for Los Blancos while chipping in with three goals and five assists. However, the last few months have shown that he might be expendable, with Eduardo Camavinga also capable of reprising the same role.

Meanwhile, Tchouameni’s stock in the market remains high, with several high-profile clubs keen on securing his services in the 2025 summer transfer window. Liverpool will be one of the prospective suitors to land the French midfielder’s signature next year.

Will Liverpool finally land Tchouameni?
Liverpool’s interest in Aurelien Tchouameni is understandable. The Reds are eager to reinforce their midfield department in the 2025 summer transfer window, even though Ryan Gravenberch has been impressive as a deep-lying playmaker for the Merseyside outfit thus far in the 2024/25 season.

So, Tchouameni has emerged as a viable target for Liverpool, with recent reports claiming Real Madrid might sanction his sale next year. The latest report has revealed that the Premier League giants are ready to initiate the conversation to sign the 24-year-old Frenchman when they lock horns with Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

The two European powerhouses will meet at Anfield in ten days, and Liverpool will enquire about Aurelien Tchouameni’s availability. It will be interesting to see how the initial conversation between Liverpool and Real Madrid goes, and we can expect a bid from the Merseyside outfit.

 

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AC Milan Vow To Sell Christian Pulisic For €60 Million-Plus Bid

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AC Milan Vow To Sell Christian Pulisic For €60 Million-Plus Bid

AC Milan will prefer not to sell Christian Pulisic next year but will entertain offers over €60 million amid his links with Liverpool, Manchester United, and West Ham United.

According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool, Manchester United, and West Ham United are interested in bringing Christian Pulisic back to the Premier League. However, AC Milan would prefer not to part ways with the 26-year-old, although the Serie A giants might have their heads turned by bids worth over €60 million.

Christian Pulisic has resurrected his stuttering career since joining AC Milan from Chelsea in July 2023. While the American attacker showed promising signs in his debut season with the West London club, his spell at Stamford Bridge went pear-shaped after a solid start to life as a Chelsea player.

However, Pulisic has enjoyed a stunning turnaround of fortunes, and he has contributed to 12 goals in 15 appearances across all competitions this term by finding the back of the net seven times and providing five assists. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old forward’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester United, and West Ham United.

AC Milan Vow To Sell Christian Pulisic For €60 Million-Plus Bid

The USMNT international has been on Liverpool’s radar for a long time, with the Merseyside club previously mulling over signing him when he was at Borussia Dortmund. The Reds can do with a player like Pulisic, considering Mohamed Salah faces an uncertain future after entering the final nine months of his contract. So, the former Chelsea attacker is a viable target for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s interest in Christian Pulisic is understandable. The right-wing berth remains an area of concern for the Premier League outfit. In addition, Pulisic’s versatility might appeal to Ruben Amorim, who appreciates that quality. So, the AC Milan forward is an option worth considering for Manchester United.

As for West Ham United, the former Chelsea attacker can bolster the offensive department by being an option for a central role or on the left flank. However, Pulisic will not come cheap, with AC Milan valuing the USMNT international at over €60 million.

While the Serie A giants do not want to part ways with the American forward, they will consider bids worth over €60 million. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool, Manchester United, and West Ham are ready to break the bank to bring the 26-year-old back to the Premier League.

 

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