Transfer News: Manchester United have hit another roadblock in their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong
Manchester United seem to have hit another roadblock in their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with Spanish outlet Sport (h/t Daily Mail) now claiming that the midfielder is viewed ‘indispensable’ within the La Liga club.
De Jong looked certain that he would leave the Catalonia club in the summer, with Erik ten Hag’s side the keenest to secure his signature. However, after much speculation, nothing happened and the Dutchman stayed put.
United have continued to be linked with the 25-year-old, but now the report has claimed that the midfielder has become ‘indispensable’ within the club as Xavi sees him as the long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets.
Ten Hag signed two midfielders in the summer with Christian Eriksen and Casemiro joining us. While they have been phenomenal for us so far, there is still a lack of depth and competition in the midfield department.
Fred, Scot McTominay and Donny van de Beek have not been able to provide the necessary competition, with the first two getting a lot of flak from the fans and pundits for their performances, while the latter one has struggled to even get some decent playing time.
Also, both Eriksen and Casemiro are in their 30s and eventually, a long-term replacement will be needed. De Jong is one of the best in the world and has shown his potential multiple times for both club and country.
However, it is looking tough to secure his signature every day. While he is one of the best on his good day, it will be wise for Ten Hag to move on from him and look at other alternatives with similar traits to the Dutchman.
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It will be very surprising should the Catalonia club entertain any offer for their star midfielder next month. De Jong is a classy player and links to Manchester United are unlikely to die down anytime soon.
