Barcelona are closing in on highly-rated Ajax defender Daley Blind, Football Express News understands.
The 24-year-old Dutch international, who plays as a left back or defensive midfielder, attracted some of Europe’s biggest spenders this summer following his solid performances in Brazil for his national team Netherlands, who cruised in third in the World Cup tournament.
Barcelona and Manchester United are believed to be competing in a two horse race for the defender with the La Liga giants edging closest to a deal with a mega-bucks offer pending.
Yesterday, Ajax boss Frank de Boer told Dutch news group AT5 that he very much doubts Blind – who has two years left on his contract – will leave this summer but admitted that every player comes at a price and should a suitable mega-money offer be made for the Dutchman, Ajax would be forced to consider.
He said: “Personally, I don’t think so (he will leave). Everyone is obviously for sale, but we feel that those three players, the World Cup players (Blind, goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and defender Joel Veltman), with a few guys in the current squad, should be the water carriers of this squad.”
Blind is a product of the Ajax youth academy. He joined the club in 1998 as an 8-year-old and progressed into the first team at the age of 18.
He is the son Ajax legend Danny Blind, who played for the club for 13 years over the 1980’s and 90’s and has acted in management capacities for the Erdivisie outfit, too.
A further announcement of the defender’s pending Barcelona move is expected to be made over the weekend.