JDOEANRG

City will have to pay club record £75M to land the Ajax and Holland star in January transfer window

MANCHESTER CITY must pay a club-record £75million in a Dutch auction with Barcelona for the new Johan Cruyff.

City have made Ajax and Holland star Frenkie de Jong (left) their top transfer target after scouring the world for a central midfielder.

They identified De Jong, 21, after missing out on Jorginho to Chelsea in summer and feel he can become Fernandinho’s long-term successor at

the Etihad. Barcelona are also keen on De Jong, while several other top clubs are monitoring his rapid progress.

Ajax feel they can demand up to £75m because of this growing interest.

That means City would have to eclipse the clubrecord £60m they paid Leicester for Riyad Mahrez.

The Amsterdam club’s hand is strengthened by the fact De Jong is under contract until June 2022.

Sources in Holland claim Barca are determined to top any offer City make to land the midfielder.

Ajax are insistent they do not want to lose their star man in January and will not consider cashing in until next summer at the earliest.

This will not deter City, who have proved with their successful pursuits of Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte they are prepared to be patient.

De Jong only won his first Holland cap in September and has been likened to the legendary Cruyff (above) because of his style.

He was in the Dutch team which earned a late draw against Germany on Monday to reach the Nations League finals.