Report: Barcelona step up their pursuit of Ajax duo

What's the story?

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are all set to intensify their pursuit of Ajax's Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt this week. As per the aforementioned report, the Catalan giants hope to hold talks with Ajax representatives during the Champions League draw in Nyon on Monday.

The Spanish outlet further claims that both the players have already prioritized Barcelona as their next destination since they believe their style of play befits the one at Camp Nou.

In case you didn't know...

The rising stars of Eredivisie are hot properties in Europe at present and find themselves being sought by a number of high-profile clubs, including the likes of Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Juventus.

They were heavily linked with a move to Barca in the last transfer window, but Ajax were hell-bent on holding on to their star players.

The heart of the matter...

Both Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt are in the early part of their respective careers, but have shown vast potential to reach new heights in the near future.

De Ligt, a product of Ajax academy, is the youngest Dutchman to play in a European final in history. Last season, he was also awarded the captain's armband as he became the youngest captain ever in Dutch professional football.

Meanwhile, De Jong is an extremely versatile player, having already been employed in a variety of roles at Ajax. When asked if he had made a decision on his future after Ajax’s 3-3 draw versus Bayern Munich, the 21-year-old replied:

No, I definitely haven’t made a decision yet.

Rumor rating: 6/10

Mundo Deportivo is a decent source when it comes to stories related to Barcelona. Recently, many reports have emerged stating Barca's interest in the talented Dutch duo.

Video

What's next?

January transfer window is just around the corner, but Barcelona will most likely be looking to land the duo next summer. If so, they must be ready to cough up an amount in the region of €140 million, with De Jong and De Ligt rated at €75 million and €65 million respectively.