Surajit Das
Manchester City targeting swap deal for Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong
According to El Nacional (h/t Sportsmole), Manchester City are eyeing a swap deal for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong amidst interest from Manchester United.
Frenkie de Jong is one of the most promising young midfielders in Europe. After joining Barcelona, the Dutch star enjoyed a good spell of performances in the initial years. The 24-year-old however has failed to fulfil his potential at the Nou Camp. The former Ajax player has appeared in 22 matches for the Blaugrana and has secured one goal and two assists this season.
Even though De Jong has no intentions of leaving Barcelona, the Catalan side’s dismal situation is hurting the 24-year-old’s growth.
Barcelona are currently going through a challenging phase and are in need of a much-needed rebuild. The Catalan club has already been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and has experienced poor La Liga results. In such a scenario, it could become difficult for Xavi’s team to keep hold of their star players, specifically the ones who are young like De Jong.
Manchester United were believed to be interested in luring the central midfielder. But, it seems that Red Devils are set to be defeated by Manchester City in the race.
Barcelona have been heavily linked with Aymeric Laporte in recent times. It is believed that Pep Guardiola has asked his side to eye for a possible swap deal for de Jong involving the French defender.
Even though Fred and Scott McTominay has performed well under Ralf Rangnick, their abilities are quite limited. This could create a void that could prevent the Red Devils from taking the next step in their development.
Manchester United still have vulnerabilities in the midfield lineup. With Paul Pogba’s injury, the depth is currently shallow. Donny van de Beek and Jesse Lingard have failed to put up a convincing performance and eventually fell from the peaking order under Ralf Rangnick.
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De Jong could provide solid stability to the United midfield. The 24-year-old has already proved his maturity and game awareness. The Dutch midfielder mostly prefers a deep-lying role; however, he has a lot of creativity to scintillate decisive passes. His top-notch passing abilities would suit Rangnick’s high pressing football.
But, it seems Red Devils would have significant difficulty luring the midfielder. Barcelona have done business with City regarding Ferran Torres, and their relationship looks strong at this moment. However, convincing the Dutch player to leave Barcelona is a big task for any team.
