Barcelona could decide Frenkie de Jong’s fate this week as the pressure to register new signings rings true

The same stance seems to be coming from the player though - he wants to stay at Barca

Manchester United will reportedly make a final offer to Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong this summer, despite reports have already confirmed that the two clubs have closed a deal for the Netherlands midfielder this summer. Weeks ago it was stated that the two clubs had agreed a £72 million deal with £63.9 million to be paid up front.

The Daily Mail has reported that United would pay the player £450,000 per week to get the deal done, which seems to be a figure plucked out of the air, also stating that United would cover the £17 million in deferred wages Barcelona owe the Dutchman, which again seems to be plucked from a orifice that does not speak the truth.

It is almost as if the Daily Mail wrote something to get clicks to their website on a day that news was either orientated around Cristiano Ronaldo or the England Lionesses winning the UEFA European Championships. It all makes United look very needy and to be honest, why let the truth get in the way of a good story?

Meanwhile, Barcelona manager Xavi has admitted that he is unsure whether De Jong will still be at the Catalan club before the start of the new La Liga season. On Sunday, Barcelona arrived back home following their pre-season tour of the United States of America with the club having to focus in departures in order to register new players this summer.

For the entire summer, De Jong, 25 has been linked to the Old Trafford club and despite reports suggesting that the deal was going to end positively, the negative reports soon followed. It is suggested that the Netherlands midfielder does not want to leave the club but he might have to. Xavi, speaking after Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls, said:

“I don’t know if he’s [De Jong] going to stay here. There’s still time and a lot of things can still happen. At the moment he’s part of the team, like everyone else. The fact that he played as a central defender in the other games was not a sign that he was leaving. I don’t need to send signals on the pitch. I can speak directly with my footballers.”

Chelsea have also been linked to De Jong this summer and they can offer the player UEFA Champions League football. However, United and Barcelona supposedly have a deal, which may complicate things but it would give the player a choice, if he agrees to be forced out of the Catalan club, which seems inevitable.

The suggestions in The Mirror state that Chelsea will ‘hijack’ United’s deal for the Dutch midfielder, which all seems very pathetic for a club that has had almost every deal to sign a player hijacked. But again, why let the truth ruin a good story? One thing is for certain, in a matter of time something will give here. United have been patient but it cannot remain that way.

There are also reports once again linking Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva to Barcelona for £70 million, which seems amazing considering the amount of debt the Catalan club are in. If that happened, along with their other signings, the club would have to get rid of some high profile players, De Jong’s departure likely to be a definite, not just a possibility.

Written by John Walker

Avatar photo
About editor 2103 Articles
I support Manchester United, the greatest English football team to have ever existed. Bruno Fernandes is the latest in a long line of players with great ability to play for the club. I idolised Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Eric Cantona growing up.