Latest developments
- Liverpool are interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
- Constant financial issues could put Catalan side under pressure to sell.
- De Jong has 18 months left on his current deal.
Whisper+ analysis
Authenticity (2/5): Little more than speculation for now
Arne Slot wants to sign Frenkie de Jong and make the Barcelona man part of his rebuilding project at Liverpool next summer.
That is being reported today on Spanish transfer site fichajes.net, but with next to no information on their sources, there seems not to be much meat to this rumour at present.
Value (3/5): Barça may need a quick sale
Barcelona's endless attempts to balance the books in recent seasons is always good news for clubs wanting to buy from them. That is no different here, and come the summer, de Jong will have a year left on his current deal.
If Barça are in need of cash, then they may be forced to let de Jong go while they can still get a good fee for him, though he could be offloaded for less than his current valuation of a shade under £50 million.
Suitability (4.5/5): A top professional
He may not regularly grab the headlines, but de Jong has been a consistent performer in centre-midfield during the most turbulent half decade in Barcelona's recent history.
Able to play either a more defensive or attacking midfield role as well as box-to-box, de Jong will fit in well to Arne Slot's squad, where fluidity to midfield roles is valued.
Upgrade? (3.5/5): Lots of competition
The potential arrival of de Jong could see some of Liverpool's current central options shown the door, with Wataru Endo expected to leave even sooner.
But that still leaves Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott all vying with the Dutchman for three starting places in the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formations favoured by Slot, and it's hard to say if he'll be top of the pecking order.
Logic (4/5): De Jong will want future sorted
28 years old come the summer, de Jong will be eager to have his future tied down, and not only does Liverpool offer a less volatile environment than Barcelona in terms of contracts and finances, but 2025 looks as good a time as any for a new challenge – and why not take one with fellow countrymen as manager and teammates?
Whisper+ verdict: 17/25
He may be forced to fight for his place in the team, but life on Anfield looks to be a solid next step for de Jong. He may not become Liverpool's lynchpin, but he can offer the Reds plenty for a reasonable price.
