According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are hoping to sign Barcelona midfield general Frenkie de Jong in the summer. The Red Devils are looking to sign at least one midfielder and have identified the 24-year-old as one of their primary midfield targets.
Manchester United recently announced that current Ajax manager Erik ten Hag will take over the reins at Old Trafford from next season. He signed a three-year deal that will keep him at the club till the summer of 2025. The Dutchman will take over the hot seat from interim boss, Ralf Rangnick, when he moves to Old Trafford at the end of the season.
De Jong had previously worked with the Dutch manager during his time at Ajax. The Netherlands international joined Barcelona in 2019. He has made over 130 appearances for the Catalan giants across all competitions. This season, he has been a regular starter under manager Xavi Hernandez.
Now, according to Spanish publication Sport (via Daily Mail), Manchester United are keen on signing Frenkie de Jong. The Red Devils want a fresh face to arrive this summer and De Jong has likely become one of their priorities. Moreover, incoming manager Erik ten Hag wants to reunite with his former Ajax midfielder and make him a part of his midfield at Old Trafford next season.
However, it would be difficult for the Red Devils to pry the Holland international away from the Camp Nou, given he is one of the key players for the club, with 26 starts in 28 appearances in La Liga this season. Moreover, it seems that De Jong himself is not too fond of leaving Spain. As a matter of fact, he spoke to The Guardian about being “very happy” at the club:
“I’m very happy I’m in Barcelona: from a young age I’ve wanted to be here, so in that way, it has been a dream come true.”
“But, of course, I would have liked to win more trophies than we did in my first two years. But other than that, I’m very happy here and hopefully for many more years.”
But Ten Hag’s arrival at The Theatre of Dreams could shake things up. The present situation could take a turn for the 24-year-old midfielder. In the hope of reuniting with his former manager, Frenkie de Jong might decide upon leaving Barcelona to join Manchester United in the summer.
Xavi Reacting To United’s Interest In Signing Frenkie de Jong
As mentioned above, is it easy to comprehend that Frenkie de Jong is comfortable with his stay at FC Barcelona. He even believes the club’s project is a growing prospect under the stewardship of Xavi. Despite being out of form currently, and being prone to injury, he is still a delight in the eyes of head coach Xavi – who praised the young midfielder saying:
“For me, Frenkie is a great player. I think he’s taken a step forward since we arrived. He’s a different player, more dynamic.”
“He’s playing at a very good level. He’s very demanding on himself. He’s a great professional and he’ll keep improving. He’s a player to be at Barca for many years.”
When asked about the transfer links between Manchester United and Frenkie de Jong, the Spaniard overruled any chances of the player leaving Camp Nou:
“Frenkie [de Jong] is very important for me, for the club, and for the team. He is a footballer who has to mark an era with his quality and personality.”
“He could be one of the best midfielders in the world in the coming years.”
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Manchester United are looking forward to revamping their midfield this summer, given players such as Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic, and Juan Mata, all are out of contract at the end of the season. These players leaving the club would mean further reliability on Fred and Scott McTominay. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for United to at least complete two signings in the summer.
The above-mentioned comments made by Xavi indicate De Jong’s move to Old Trafford to be less realistic. In that case, United could turn their attention to their previous targets such as Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips and Aurelien Tchouameni.
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