Man City Reportedly Ready to Break Transfer Record to Sign £71M Frenkie De Jong

Manchester City are reportedly ready to break the club's transfer record to sign Frenkie De Jong from Ajax.

According to Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star on Sunday, the Dutch giants value the midfielder at £71 million. While there is interest in him from the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, only City would be willing to part with that amount.

"City could even sign De Jong in the January transfer window [and] then loan him back to Ajax for the rest of the season," Hetherington wrote. "That would enable both the player and his Dutch club to stick to their pledge that De Jong would remain in Amsterdam for the whole of this campaign."

According to Hetherington, the most significant competition is poised to come from Barcelona. De Jong is said to be a fan of the Catalan giants, and if they decided to make a serious play, that may complicate matters for the Premier League champions.

The City Watch Twitter account relayed how the story was reported and provided more details:

De Jong has emerged as one of the best young players in European football and is a regular for club and country despite being just 21.

He was used as a centre-back for long spells last season, but this season, it's been deemed he is ready to advance into a midfield role and have more of an influence on games. Up to now, the signs have been positive.

With his appreciation of the game, technical ability and passing range, it's not a shock to see sides like City and Barcelona courting him. Both teams' possession-based philosophies would align well with the Ajax man's attributes.

Per WhoScored.com, it's rare to see De Jong lose the ball:

City are stacked in most positions, yet they could benefit from another addition at the base of the midfield.

Fernandinho has been an exceptional player for the club since arriving in 2013, but City don't have anyone with his combativeness or composure to slot into that role. At 33, his fitness will need to be managed carefully this season and beyond.

If De Jong continues on this trajectory, he would potentially be a perfect replacement, and Rafael Hernandez of Barca fansite Grup 14 believes the youngster would blossom under Pep Guardiola:

It's been a rapid rise for the midfielder, who is rated as one of the brightest prospects in the game after a string of brilliant performances. Interest from big clubs is inevitable in the coming transfer windows as a result.

Still, it would be a surprise if Ajax were to let him move on midway through the season with key prizes to challenge for. As such, a deal agreed during the campaign that would see De Jong remain an Ajax player for the remainder of 2018-19 before leaving may suit all parties.