Barcelona are reportedly awaiting news of a meeting between Ajax and target Frenkie de Jong this weekend which could determine his future.
The 21-year-old was a key figure for the Dutch giants last season, making 26 appearances in all competitions before an injury ended his campaign in March.
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Prior to that, he’d contributed nine assists and a goal in those 26 outings, as the technically gifted ace played a crucial role in the Ajax midfield.
Barcelona have seemingly seen enough to be convinced that he could be a success at the Nou Camp though, and Mundo Deportivo report that the Catalan giants will be eagerly awaiting the outcome of a scheduled meeting between De Jong’s agent and Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars on Friday or Saturday.
Whether or not that provides an absolute answer on whether or not the Dutch giants are prepared to sell remains to be seen, but Barca are said to be eager to snap him up this summer or potentially wait until next year but with a deal in place to avoid losing him to a rival.
Ernesto Valverde is seemingly overseeing a new long-term vision at Barcelona, with the reigning La Liga champions appearing to place an emphasis on younger signings this summer.
Barca have already officially announced the arrivals of Clement Lenglet (23), Arthur (21) and Malcom (21), and so De Jong would fit the mould as they appear to be trying to build a new cycle to eventually replace the current successful side.
It’s a sensible strategy in truth given fundamental figures such as Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi have all now passed the 30 years of age mark, and so long-term planning is needed at the Nou Camp to build a squad capable of sustaining their recent level of success.