Chelsea ahead of Juventus in race to sign Barcelona superstar: Reports

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The Blues are set to face stiff competition from Italian giants Juventus for the Netherlands international's signature.

According to Gazetta dello Sport as per football Italia, Chelsea are ahead of Juventus in the race to sign the 24-year-old. The Blues reportedly view De Jong as the ideal replacement for Italian midfielder Jorginho, who has attracted interest from Juventus in recent months.

Jorginho's contract with Chelsea is set to expire in the summer of 2023. The Premier League giants will prefer selling the midfielder next summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Juventus have used a huge chunk of their transfer budget to sign Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic. The Bianconeri have reportedly reached an agreement with Fiorentina over a €75 million move for the Serbian striker. This could force Massimiliano Allegri's side to drop their interest in De Jong.

Frenkie de Jong joined Barcelona from Dutch club Ajax in the summer of 2019 in a deal worth €75 million. The Dutch midfielder was widely considered one of the brightest young prospects in Europe prior to his move to Camp Nou.

De Jong immediately became a regular starter at Barcelona, making 42 appearances and scoring two goals in his debut season with the club. He has gone on to make 119 appearances and score eleven goals in all competitions for the Catalan giants.

The 24-year-old is seen as one of the young talents around whom Barcelona could build a squad for the future. The La Liga giants are, however, in a dire financial situation.

Barcelona are facing debts totaling up to €1.35 million. They could be forced to sell some of their star players next summer to raise the funds required to pay off their debts. Frenkie de Jong is one of Barcelona's prized assets and is therefore likely to command a mammoth transfer fee if he is to be sold.

Barcelona could be open to selling Frenkie de Jong to join Chelsea or Juventus

AC Milan v US Salernitana - Serie A

According to Catalunya Radio, Barcelona are in advanced talks with AC Milan over a move for Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie. The 25-year-old midfielder's contract with the Serie A side is set to expire at the end of the season. He has rejected the chance to sign a contract extension with the club.

AC Milan could be forced to sell Kessie during the ongoing transfer window instead of losing him on a free transfer next summer. Kessie has been one of the standout performers in Serie A. He scored 14 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions for AC Milan last season, helping the club finish second in the league table.

Kessie has continued his good form for Stefano Pioli's side this season, scoring five goals in 21 appearances in all competitions. His performances have helped propel the club to third place in the Serie A table.

The AC Milan star will add physicality, energy, work rate, and tenacity to Barcelona's midfielder if he joins the Catalans. Barcelona could be open to the possibility of selling Frenkie de Jong to either Chelsea or Juventus if they manage to sign Franck Kessie.