Manchester City target Frenkie de Jong after missing out West Ham United transfer for Declan Rice
Manchester City are considering a transfer for Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong after withdrawing from the race to sign West Ham star Declan Rice, according to The Sun.
The newspaper noted that the Spanish club will want Manchester City to pay up to the £90million for De Jong that they were prepared to pay for Rice.
The English club ended their interest in the Hammers ace when the fee went above what they were willing to pay, as per The Sun.
“Pep Guardiola is mulling over a move for Frenkie de Jong – after Manchester City’s boss walked away from a Declan Rice bid,” according to The Sun.
“But Barcelona will want up to the £90million that Guardiola was prepared to pay in his attempts to sign West Ham ace Rice.”
Fantastic alternative
Manchester City have lost club captain and star player Ilkay Gundogan this summer, with the midfielder making his way to Camp Nou to join Barcelona.
And his transfer could definitely help Pep Guardiola in his reported pursuit of fellow midfielder De Jong, although it remains to be seen exactly how much Manchester City are willing to spend on the Netherlands star.
The Manchester outfit have already brought in a superb midfield replacement in Chelsea ace Mateo Kovacic, but it seems likely that Guardiola will want to have more options to choose from in midfield next season.
De Jong was, of course, strongly linked with a move to Manchester United last summer amid persistent interest from the Red Devils, but he ultimately stayed with the Spanish giants.
West Ham meanwhile need a midfielder of their own as Rice closes in on his switch to the Gunners, with the new man at the London Stadium certainly having big boots to fill.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have completed their first summer signing as their new player pens a three-year deal at the club.