Bayern Munich plan to rival Manchester City for Ajax starlet Frankie De Jong at the end of the season, claims The Daily Mail.
De Jong has emerged as one of the best prospects in Europe this year and is widely expected to leave Ajax in the summer.
A January exit has already been ruled out after Ajax secured qualification for the knockout stage of the Champions League.
City manager Pep Guardiola has earmarked De Jong as Fernandinho’s long-term replacement after missing out on Jorginho to Chelsea in the summer.
The reigning Premier League champions are the frontrunners to sign De Jong but his asking price has almost doubled over the course of the season to £70m.
City can also now expect stiff competition from Bayern, who are chasing the 21-year-old’s signature as part of a planned overhaul of their ageing squad.
De Jong has scored two league goals in 14 league appearances for Ajax this season but his primary job is to dictate the tempo of matches.
The Netherlands international has impressively completed 92% of his passes in the league this term. Furthermore, De Jong averages more passes per Eredivisie match than any other player (81).
