Manchester United interested in Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong and want nothing to do with Philippe Coutinho
According to El Nacional (h/t ESPN), Manchester United are not interested in Philippe Coutinho and have made it clear to Barcelona that they want Frenkie de Jong instead.
The Spanish club does have several financial problems. Club President Joan Laporta is looking to offload players and raise money. New boss Xavi is not keen on Coutinho as the Brazilian has been lacklustre since signing from Liverpool in January 2018.
Laporta was hoping to move him on to Man United and was apparently also holding discussions to sign Edinson Cavani. However, the 13-time Premier League champions’ interest lies elsewhere as they are keen on bringing Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford.
But that will be an uphill task because the Blaugrana outfit is not even considering accepting the first bid worth €55million. The Dutchman cost the La Liga club €86million two years ago, and he has a contract with the club until 2026. Xavi is not keen on letting him go, but Laporta might consider offers over €70million.
A viable move
The former Ajax man is thought to suit the way Rangnick wishes to play. Considering this, Man United should do what they can to sign him. The German boss is at Old Trafford for a minimum of 2 and a half years, and the club needs to make use of his expertise.
The hierarchy backed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the summer by bringing in Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, and Cristiano Ronaldo. They now need to back the current boss, especially since he has far more experience in the game than the Norwegian when it comes to managing a football team.
De Jong could also be a suitable replacement for Paul Pogba. The Frenchman can leave in the summer after his contract expires. The Dutch international is of a good age profile and is talented enough to seamlessly take up the potential vacancy.
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It can take massive fees to sign the biggest players. The 24-year-old has proven his quality in two countries, and Man United need to convince him to do it in a 3rd. It is the beginning of a new era, and if the club wishes to succeed, they shall need to bring in those players that can propel them to winning the biggest trophies in the land.
Scott McTominay and Fred can also use a bit of competition as the duo has not looked at their best for a big part of this season. De Jong, if he comes to Old Trafford, could reunite with his former Ajax teammate, Donny van de Beek. The latter, however, failed to win favour under Solskjaer but now has the chance to impress Rangnick. If the duo can play together once again, then there is nothing to suggest why they can’t recreate the prolific days that they enjoyed together in Amsterdam.
