In a recent report, Mundo Deportivo stated that Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong is open to joining Chelsea this summer. It has been mentioned that the Barca playmaker wants to join the Blues if he has to leave the Catalan club this month.
De Jong’s Decent Numbers At Catalonia Last Season
The 25-year-old had a decent campaign at the Nou Camp as he managed to produce a run of influential performances at the heart of Barca’s midfield. De Jong found the back of the net on four occasions and picked up five assists in 45 matches for the Catalan outfit last season in all competitions.
The Dutch midfield ace proved his worth as a top performer by averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 0.5 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.6 dribbles per game in La Liga. He even took care of the ball when distributing possession from midfield after completing 91.3% of his attempted passes in the Spanish top tier (stats via whoscored).
Should Chelsea Head Coach Thomas Tuchel Get De Jong On Board This Month?
De Jong can make a few solid tackles to secure the ball back for his team at the centre of the park and has got the vision to create some inviting chances for others around him in the opposition half. The Dutch talent can even make a few energetic runs with the ball from midfield and deserves credit for chipping in with his fair share of goals and assists in the final third. He is primarily a box-to-box midfielder but can even fill in as a defensive midfielder if needed.
Someone of De Jong’s quality would be a welcome addition to Thomas Tuchel‘s squad before the end of this summer transfer window. He will no doubt enhance the quality of Chelsea‘s midfield department and could help the Blues challenge for some major trophies over the next few years.
De Jong is well-equipped to make an instant impact at Stamford Bridge if Tuchel can secure his services this month. However, there are some question marks over whether the Dutch player can cope with the physical nature and high intensity of English football. Still, the pros outweigh the cons of recruiting him, so the West London giants would be wise to get De Jong on board as he is good enough to help them close the gap to Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League in the coming seasons.
