According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are exploring a bid of €20m plus Luis Suarez for midfield target Donny van de Beek, with new boss Ronald Koeman keen on the star.
Mundo Deportivo (MD) report that the Catalan outfit wish to part with experienced midfielders Ivan Rakitic and Arturo Vidal this summer, with Van de Beek eyed as an ideal option to rejuvenate the side.
MD add that the 23-year-old is valued at around €45-50m, a fee that Barcelona simply cannot pay, hence the prospect of a part-exchange deal that would send Suarez back to the Amsterdam outfit.
It’s claimed that the Dutch powerhouses would like to re-sign the talisman, but the 33-year-old does not wish to leave Barcelona, the centre-forward still has a guaranteed year left on his contract.
MD also suggest that the Blaugrana could actually further drive down the cash cost of a deal for Van de Beek, by offering Ajax some of their talented young prospects.
According to the Star, Manchester United are also keen on Van de Beek, offering Ajax cash and one of their best goalscorers since the turn of the century could certainly see them become frontrunners.
It would be some turn of events if Van de Beek reunited with the man that made him an important part of the Dutch national team, considering the ace was reportedly close to joining Real Madrid in January.
Barcelona will have to part with some high-profile figures like Suarez as the club need to rebuild their team as well as massively cut down their wage bill.
Van de Beek was a driving force in the 18/19 season that saw Ajax do the domestic double and reach the Champions League semi-finals, he’s followed up that level of his performance, despite teammates Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt leaving last summer.
Van de Beek, who can feature as a surging central midfielder or an outright attacking midfielder, scored 10 goals and chipped in with 11 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions this season.
The midfielder could’ve actually had another Eredivisie title to his name were it not for the Dutch top-flight being curtailed an no champion being crowned, Ajax were first on goal difference.
Van de Beek would of course be an ideal target that would also get the best out of marquee man Frenkie de Jong, given their successful time together at Ajax and with the Netherlands’ national team.