Manchester United Will Again Insist On Signing Frenkie De Jong From FC Barcelona

Manchester United will again insist on signing Frenkie de Jong from FC Barcelona.

The Netherlands international is the PremierPINC
League giants’ white whale in the transfer market.

In May this year, as the La Liga season was drawing to a close, they first made inquiries about De Jong who was struggling for form under Xavi Hernandez.

Barca were also struggling to balance the books, and believed they needed to offload their €75mn ($73.3mn) signing from Ajax in 2019 in order to navigate financial fair play rules and make signings of their own.

The Catalans achieved this by activating a series of ‘economic levers’ which helped them land the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde, plus also increase their salary limit from a negative -€144mn (-$141mn) to a far healthier €656mn ($643mn).

Meanwhile, however, they were said to have agreed a deal worth €85mn ($83.3mn) with United for De Jong’s transfer. But a lack of Champions League football at Old Trafford and a desire to succeed under Xavi Hernandez at Camp Nou were said to have been factors in him failing to reach personal terms with the Mancunians.

United turned to other targets, such as former Real Madrid legend Casemiro. According to SPORT, though, interest in De Jong has never wavered and will be ramped up again in the coming windows.

De Jong’s lot under Xavi has somewhat improved since the 2022/2023 season. While he as at times been confined to the bench in favor of midfield prodigies Pedri and Gavi, the playmaker has been given the coveted pivot role whenever an aging Sergio Busquets was confined to the bench.

There is talk that De Jong is being primed as the natural heir to the club legend in the role, but reports have begun to circle that club president Joan Laporta has also been ordered to pursue Real Sociedad talent Martin Zubimendi which might unsettle De Jong.

With Bernardo Silva still Barca’s most fancied acquisition, they could be tempted to again listen to offers for a player who was tipped as the future of the club but has thus far only managed to land the Copa del Rey in three seasons.