Transfer News: Manchester United are still interested in Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong
Manchester United are still interested in signing Barcelona and the Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to BBC Sport (h/t Metro).
The Red Devils spent almost all of the summer pursuing a deal for the 25-year-old midfielder. However, his reluctance to leave the Spanish club made it really hard for the Premier League side to secure his signature.
Ultimately, he stayed put while United bought Casemiro from Real Madrid for £60 million and also signed former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen on a free transfer.
Both the new additions have proven to be critical for Erik ten Hag so far. The fan’s dream of having a holding midfielder for so long seems to have been fulfilled with the Brazilian being one of the best there is in the business.
Eriksen meanwhile has helped revitalise our midfield this season along with Bruno Fernandes. However, Ten Hag still wants former Ajax Amsterdam midfielder De Jong and believes he will fit perfectly in the squad.
The 25-year-old has been regular feature for Barcelona this season, playing in 17 games for them in all competitions. The Dutchman also travelled to Qatar for the World Cup where he started in all the matches for his country, helping them reach the quarter-finals.
De Jong is no doubt one of the best midfielders in the game. The former Ajax man can unlock defences with one pass and was also a crucial member of that famous Ajax squad that reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with the United boss at the helm then.
Should the Dutchman make a move next month, he will have to compete with Eriksen and Casemiro for a place in the starting eleven. The 25-year-old sees his current contract expiring in 2026 (transfermarkt), putting the Catalonia club in a comfortable position to strike a deal of their wish.
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It remains to be seen if the Red Devils make an offer for the midfielder in January. While the fans would love the player in their team, they would like to avoid another saga surrounding the midfielder and the club, similar to that which happened in the summer.
