Man United have received some potentially positive news in their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
Red Devils fans expect a massive squad overhaul upon the arrival of new manager Erik ten Hag. A very underwhelming season, coupled with a toxic dressing room environment, made changes necessary.
As a result, several players are due to leave the club. Midfielders Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, and Jesse Lingard will go at the end of their contracts, as will Edinson Cavani. Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic confirmed that he wouldn’t pick up his player option for next season.
Read: Manchester United considering expensive measure for Anthony Martial to leave club.
Most excitingly, the Old Trafford side should be busy making new signings in the next transfer window. With many holes to fill in the squad, their wish list is long and packed with top names. One such player is Frenkie de Jong – who new Man United manager Ten Hag is very keen on.
Ten Hag wants former Ajax player reunion
United have made no secret of the fact that they need midfield reinforcements. The new boss wants to reunite with one of his key players from the Ajax side that reached the 2018/2019 Champions League semi-finals.
Erik ten Hag identifies Frenkie de Jong as the man who can solve the midfield issues plaguing Man United. Following an inconsistent spell in Spain, working with his old boss may give De Jong the boost he needs to return to his old Ajax form. According to the Express, United could make a move for the midfielder in the summer.
Frenkie de Jong to Man United?
A report from Spanish media outlet AS suggests that Barcelona have put De Jong up for sale. This is because the Catalan giants have made a move for Valencia’s Carlos Soler – and need funds to finance it.
AS claim that Barcelona’s asking price for the Dutch midfielder stands at 70 million euros. However, they may be forced to take a lesser fee due to question marks over De Jong’s recent performances. This development must have boosted Man United’s confidence in landing the midfielder if true.
Xavi tries to shut down transfer rumours
The news may come as a surprise to Barca fans after comments made by Xavi just days ago. The Spanish side’s manager claimed that De Jong was “the future” of the club.
“There aren’t many players with his quality in the world,” remarked the Barca manager, per ESPN. “He’s the present and the future [at Barcelona]. He is a very important player for me. He’s capable, strong, he gets into the box…He has had some excellent games, but he has to be consistent.
“We had a face-to-face chat this week, and it went well. Being taken off is frustrating for him, but I have to look out for the team.”
Unfortunately for Barcelona supporters, the AS report contradicts what Xavi has said. The media outlet claim that De Jong told Barca he is tired of being involved in transfer rumours. Furthermore, the Dutchman said that if the Spanish club receive a good offer for him, they should consider it.
Despite this, fans on social media have dismissed the validity of AS’ claims.
Fans react to Frenkie de Jong – Man United links
On Reddit, football fans questioned how reliable the Spanish outlet is. They suggested that the Frenkie de Jong report is rubbish.
One Redditor offered up some advice to others. “My simple transfer rules for La Liga to live by: 1. Never trust Sport for Real Madrid transfer rumours. 2. Never trust AS for Barcelona transfer rumours.”
Another user accused AS of spreading false news. “This makes no sense,” they wrote. “Laporta and Xavi said he’s important to the project. De Jong himself said he wants to stay. Enough with the false rumours.”
Finally, this Reddit user is extremely fed up with the media’s work. “I hate Barca related media. F*****g leeches, make up s**t rumour, then make up s**t decisions, like wtf is this clownshow. F*****s have their own lore going on.”
If the AS story proves true, Man United will certainly be in with a good shot of signing Frenkie de Jong. However, they will have to fight Europe’s elite for his signature. German champions Bayern Munich reportedly want De Jong – meaning a battle for the midfielder is definitely on the cards.
Featured image credit: Getty
