Tottenham Reportedly Ready to Rival Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly taken an interest in Ajax midfielder and Barcelona target Frenkie de Jong.

According to Neil Fissler of the Sunday Express, Spurs have been impressed with the youngster's breakthrough into the Ajax first team and will monitor his development. Fissler added that the Blaugrana and Borussia Dortmund have also been keeping an eye on De Jong, who is said to be rated at around £40 million.

"Tottenham will continue to keep tabs on De Jong, who was voted Eredivisie talent of the season in 2017 and is tipped to win full international honours in the near future," Fissler said. "Barcelona had De Jong on their radar over the summer as they sought to add another midfielder to Ernesto Valverde's squad."

As Fissler reported, despite the interest from some huge clubs, De Jong has made it clear he is happy to stay in Amsterdam for at least another season. Ajax are back in the UEFA Champions League this term, where they will face Bayern Munich, AEK Athens and Benfica.

Another campaign with Ajax will allow De Jong more time to develop. The Amsterdam-based outfit joked via Twitter about how they kept some of their star players past the transfer deadline despite interest from big clubs:

It's not a shock to see so many elite sides linked with De Jong, who has excelled since cementing a place in the Ajax side.

The youngster moved to the Amsterdam giants in 2015, having spent his youth career at Willem II. He's now settled into life at Ajax and boasts skills that align with the club's traditions.

On the ball, he is decisive and inventive. Out of possession, he's showcased exceptional appreciation of positioning, especially given he's still in the early stages of his career; he's played as both a central defender and a midfielder in the senior side.

Per Squawka Football, the Netherlands youth international is a difficult man to dispossess:

He would tick a lot of boxes for Tottenham. In midfield, they would benefit from another assured and energetic presence. De Jong's ability to mesh technical ability and tenacity would make him a perfect fit for Mauricio Pochettino's side.

Spurs didn't sign anyone in the previous transfer window, although they have started the Premier League season well. Prior to Sunday's meeting with Watford, they had won all three of their matches, including a 3-0 win at Manchester United.

In January, Pochettino may be looking to bolster his squad if Spurs are in contention for honours. However, you sense De Jong would be tough to prise from Ajax midseason, meaning any potential move will likely come next summer.