Krishnan Sreekumar
Fabrizio Romano relays Barcelona director transfer message on Frenkie de Jong amidst Manchester United interest
As relayed by football journalist Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Barcelona director Mateu Alemany has commented on the future of midfielder Frenkie de Jong, saying that no decisions have been taken on the squad amidst transfer interest from Manchester United.
de Jong has been a regular fixture in the starting lineup at Barca, pulling the strings in midfield alongside captain Sergio Busquets. He made the move to the La Liga giants in 2019 from Ajax Amsterdam, playing under incoming new United boss Erik ten Hag.
The 25-year-old Dutchman was hugely impressive at Ajax, becoming a key member of the team that won the domestic double in Holland in the 2018/19 season. They also managed to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League that term, beating teams such as Juventus and Real Madrid on the way.
Although he has not achieved the same level of success or made the expected impact at the Nou Camp, he continues to be a constant presence in the team. Even under new manager Xavi Hernandez this season, de Jong has managed to keep his place in the squad.
“de Jong is important for us”
The impending arrival of ten Hag at United has seen the Barca midfielder be linked to a move to Manchester this summer, but Alemany responded to these rumours by saying that the La Liga club had not made any decisions on the squad as yet.
Romano relayed the director’s message, who insisted that de Jong was important to them. Alemany also said that the Catalan side was conditioned by financial fair play ahead of the transfer window, but was clear about what they needed. Certainly, this opens the door for the club wanting to keep its financial health in check, which could, of course, include money coming in through transfer fees.
ten Hag will take charge at Old Trafford after the club’s final game of the season against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The result against the Eagles may determine whether the Manchester side finishes either sixth or seventh in the Premier League table.
The Red Devils are in need of a squad overhaul in the upcoming summer transfer window, with many players departing at the end of the season when their contracts expire. ten Hag is expected to build a young and dynamic team to compete with the other big sides to compete for trophies.
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de Jong could prove to be a useful addition to a midfield that has failed to impress against stronger opposition. Having worked together with ten Hag in the past at Ajax, perhaps a reunion could be on the cards at the Theatre of Dreams next season between player and manager.
However, Barcelona have not yet given a clear indication of whether or not they are interested in selling the midfielder. This could yet be a transfer saga that could be dragged on, and only time will tell whether de Jong stays in Spain or moves to Manchester to play under ten Hag once again.
