Manchester City set to break transfer record to sign £71m Ajax star

Manchester City are set to beat Tottenham Hotspur to the signing of 21-year old Ajax prodigy Frenkie De Jong, according to reports in the Daily Star.

De Jong, whose £71m valuation had resulted in Spurs distancing themselves from the deal, has long been on City’s radar, and a January transfer to Manchester is truly on the cards, with the possibility of the Dutchman being loaned back to Ajax for the remainder of the season.

The Eredivisie outfit has initially valued De Jong at £25m, though that has since rocketed firstly to £45m, and then to £71m, according to the Daily Star. Spurs, under the shrewd financial management of Daniel Levy, baulked at the increased valuation, though Pep Guardiola’s side have the financial muscle to bring in De Jong, and look set to break their transfer record to bring him to The Etihad.

City’s current transfer record sits at £60m, from the acquisition of Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City in the 2018 summer window.

The Citizens are due to play Tottenham, their competitors for De Jong’s signature, on Monday night at Wembley, as Guardiola’s side seek to continue their unbeaten start to the 2018/19 Premier League season.