Arsenal and Manchester City Set for Transfer Tussle Over Barcelona Star Midfielder

Reports suggest that both clubs have initiated contact with Barcelona, expressing their interest in being kept abreast of De Jong’s situation as he weighs up a potential exit from Camp Nou.

The speculation surrounding De Jong’s future has intensified amid Barcelona’s well-documented financial struggles, with the Catalan club reportedly open to the idea of offloading the midfielder to alleviate their financial woes.

Despite De Jong’s previous assertions of contentment at Barcelona and his fondness for life in the city, primarily driven by the club’s deferred wage payments to him, the upcoming summer transfer window could witness a change in his stance.

While Barcelona had reportedly contemplated offering De Jong a new contract earlier in the season, the prospect of a lucrative offer from Arsenal or Manchester City could sway their decision towards selling the talented midfielder. Manchester United, among other clubs, have also been linked with De Jong, but it’s Arsenal and Manchester City who appear to be leading the race for his signature.

This potential transfer tussle between Arsenal and Manchester City echoes their previous battle over Declan Rice’s services last summer, with the Gunners ultimately securing the midfielder’s signature. Manchester City, having identified the need to bolster their midfield options following the departure of Ilkay Gundogan, had also been linked with other targets such as Joao Neves ahead of the upcoming transfer window. Now, with De Jong emerging as a prime target for both clubs, a fresh showdown in the transfer market seems imminent as Arsenal and Manchester City vie for another marquee midfielder to strengthen their squads.