Frenkie De Jong Refuses To Leave FC Barcelona And Join Manchester United

Frenkie De Jong is reportedly refusing to join Manchester United from FC Barcelona.

The Dutchman is a top summer transfer target for the Red Devils, who are now managed by his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

On Tuesday afternoon, reports from ESPN claimed that the two clubs were approaching an agreement believed to see United pay the Catalans €65mn ($68.3mn) up front for the 25-year-old and then additional performance-based bonuses which can take the final fee for the transfer above €80mn ($84mn).

Though this would fall short of the €100mn ($105mn) Barca originally wanted for De Jong, it would still represent a profit on the €75mn ($79mn) sum they shelled out for him in 2019 after he and Ten Hag completed a brave and unexpected run to the Champions League finals in Amsterdam.

Sources said to ESPN that there were still “significant hurdles” to be navigated in getting a deal over the line. And according to SPORT on Wednesday, De Jong – who has stated his desire to stay at the club in public and in private – is dragging his heels and refusing to leave Barca.

The daily newspaper says that De Jong has no intention of switching allegiances, which he has communicated to both teams, and is intent on succeeding in Catalonia where he has a contract that runs for another four years and one day until June 30, 2026.

It is said that the situation has become “tense” with De Jong unappreciative of the manner in which everyone is pushing him to flee his current employers.

Not only has De Jong described Barca as the club of his “dreams” as recently as the end of the last month, but he also wants to play Champions League football which United cannot offer him at present.

Riddled with debts circling $1.5bn, Barca’s president Joan Laporta and his board need to make a sale to alleviate their financial woes and also focus on their own targets in the transfer market such as Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva.

While dilly-dallying and waiting to see what soon-to-be free agent Ousmane Dembele does, the Blaugrana already appear to have missed out on Brazil international Raphinha for whom Chelsea are said to have lodged a big bid to buy this week.