3 reasons why Chelsea should prioritize spending big on Frenkie de Jong over Wesley Fofana this summer

Chelsea have been quite active this summer, signing the likes of Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella and Carney Chukwuemeka.

The club's new owner Todd Boehly has not shied away from splashing the cash in a bid to back manager Thomas Tuchel.

The Blues could still make more signings before the summer transfer window slams shut, with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Both Fofana and De Jong won't come cheap and Chelsea may have to choose one of the two.

On that note, we take a look at three reasons why the Blues should prioritize signing De Jong over Fafana.

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#3 De Jong is more experienced

Fofana is currently 21-years-old

While Leicester City's Fofana is much younger than De Jong and could be one for the future, the Frenchman isn't very experienced.

So breaking the bank for a 21-year-old defender in Fofana at the expense of a tried and tested 25-year-old De Jong could be a huge risk for the London outfit.

Fofana has only managed a combined total of 81 senior club appearances since breaking into AS Saint-Etienne's first team in 2019. He played 30 games for the French club, while amassing 51 appearances for Leicester so far.

The Barcelona midfielder, meanwhile, has played a combined total of 229 senior club games since making his first-team debut for Ajax in 2016. De Jong played 89 games for Ajax and has represented Barcelona 140 times.

Moreover, while Fofana is yet to earn a senior international cap, De Jong has 44 caps for the Netherlands to his name.

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#2 De Jong offers more versatily

Real Madrid v Barcelona - Preseason Friendly

De Jong is a more versatile footballer than Fofana as can operate several positions unlike the Leicester City defender.

The Dutchman can be deployed as a defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder and central midfielder.

De Jong was also used as a defender by Xavi in Barca's pre-season win over Real Madrid, a real testament to the former Ajax star's versatility.

However, the same cannot be said of Fofana, who has mostly operated as a centre-back throughout his career.

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#1 De Jong could cost less than Fofana

Chelsea could spend big to sign Fofana from Leciester City this summer

Both Leicester City and Barcelona have slapped heavy price tags on Fofana and de Jong, respectively. Despite the huge fees, signing the Dutchman will cost Chelsea less this summer.

As per FootballLondon, the versatile midfielder is currently valued at around £71 million by Barca.

Meanwhile, the Foxes have already turned down a bid in excess of £70 million for Fofana, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Blues may need to shell out a record fee to rope in the young Frenchman.

Going by the valuation of both players, a move for De Jong would save Chelsea more money to spend on other key areas in the team.