‘Bombshell’ Liverpool transfer talks accelerate as Barcelona green light deal and Deco names his price

Frenkie de Jong has been told that Barcelona will not stand in his way of making what has been described as a ‘bombshell’ move to Liverpool this summer with Deco revealing their asking price in talks with the Reds and with a report also naming the player they have targeted as his replacement.

The Reds are riding high at the top of the Premier League and are also through to the last-16 of the Champions League, where they will be one of eight seeded sides. Having this week also reached the Carabao Cup final and on Sunday tackling Championship strugglers Plymouth for a place in the FA Cup fifth round, the 2024/25 season is shaping up to be a dream debut season for Arne Slot at Liverpool.

Remarkably, Liverpool’s success so far has been achieved with near-on the same squad Slot inherited from Jurgen Klopp, having only signed Italy winger Federico Chiesa. That was not through a want of trying, though, and the Reds were left frustrated when their top target, Martin Zubimendi, backed out of an agreement to move to Anfield.

Now with Zubimendi destined to join Arsenal this summer, Slot and Co have been forced to move on to other options. To that end, a report on Thursday revealed they now have a strong interest in landing De Jong, who has seemingly been told he can leave Barcelona this summer.

And according to Spanish outlet El Nacional, talks over what has been described as a ‘bombshell’ transfer this summer have already taken place between Barcelona sporting director Deco and his Anfield counterpart Richard Hughes.

Per a source cited as being close to the negotiations, Deco has already given Liverpool the green light to recruit the midfielder this summer and will not stand in his way from moving to Anfield if their asking price – believed to be €40m (£33.3m, $41.3m) – is met.

That’s because negotiations with De Jong over an extension to his deal have hit a total brick wall and with his arrangement due to expire in summer 2026, cash-strapped Barcelona see this summer as their last chance to gain a sizeable fee for a midfielder who has fallen down the pecking order under Hansi Flick this season.

DON’T MISS 🔴 Slot says yes to Liverpool signing of cut-price Barcelona star as Zubimendi acceptance emerges

Barcelona want Liverpool target as De Jong replacement

The report goes on to explain that Barcelona view the exit of De Jong as a ‘great opportunity’ to boost their much-documented financial issues.

The Netherlands star is currently one of their highest earners on a package worth €365,385 (£304,500) a week, while his sale can offer a further boost to their transfer coffers.

Furthermore, Barcelona also plan to step up their interest in signing Joshua Kimmich as his replacement.

The versatile Kimmich, who is equally adept at playing right-back and as a holding midfielder, has ironically also been linked with Liverpool as a would-be replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, should the 26-year-old depart for Real Madrid this summer.

But the Bayern Munich star has made clear his preference is to play in midfield, making a move to the Nou Camp potentially more appealing. Knowing they could also land him as a free agent this summer, Barcelona are ready to ramp up their plan to move on De Jong and replace him with the experienced Germany international, feeling the moves represent shrewd business across the board.

A more ambitious target is named as Zubimendi, though the fees involved in such a deal coupled with Barca’s difficult financial situation make a deal extremely difficult to pull off.

From a Liverpool perspective, the report claims Slot and sporting director Hughes see De Jong as a player who fits ‘perfectly into the Dutch coach’s playing style’, with Liverpool having made clear their wish to sign the player in those preliminary talks with the LaLiga giants.

As a result, the report concludes that Deco is confident that talks over a deal are continuing and that Deco soon hopes to close a deal for the midfielder’s sale.

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Triple exit fears mount; Alisson truths

In light of those links to De Jong, Jamie Carragher has assessed Liverpool’s transfer plans this summer and has called on FSG to make three big signings to help Slot and Co maintain the high standards set this year – with one arrival massively aided by Manchester United’s recent transfer activity.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have been told the two reasons why all of Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk can expect to quit Anfield at the end of this season.

With the clock ticking down on all three players’ contracts, a ‘cynical’ pundit has offered his reasoning why he thinks the Reds will soon be bidding farewell to their star trio.

Elsewhere, the prospect of this being Alisson Becker’s last season as a Liverpool player amid claims the Brazilian stalwart will secure a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia have been played down with a top source – with the verdict having a big impact on both Giorgi Mamardashvili and Caiomhin Kelleher.

De Jong’s Barcelona career by numbers