Frenkie de Jong has been convinced that his future lies at Manchester United according to reports from Simon Mullock of The Mirror. It has been stated that United manager Erik ten Hag launched an ‘irresistible charm offensive’ on the 25-year-old midfielder.
Earlier this summer, De Jong has reportedly told Barcelona that he ‘had no intention’ of leaving the Catalan club, despite the fact he had been told that United were interested in signing him this summer. Barcelona have some serious financial problems that they need to resolve.
The incoming United manager, 52, seemingly saw his first test as manager to find a way to convince De Jong to sign for the Old Trafford club. Ten Hag and De Jong could end up being reunited if all things go to plan with this transfer.
The 25-year-old midfielder previously played for Ajax, which Ten Hag managed from early 2017, but De Jong left the club in the summer of 2019 after Barcelona agreed a €75 million fee earlier that year, which was completed on the 1 July 2019.
The Dutchman played 89 times for Ajax after coming through the clubs academy, scoring five goals and 13 assists. At Barcelona, the Dutchman has so far played 139 times, scoring 13 goals and 17 assists. He is more of a creative midfielder that could severely improve United’s midfield.
However, United still require an actual defensive midfielder for it to really work at the club but that will be down to Ten Hag and United to agree – he might have different plans for the club. I am sure we will start to see his plans as soon as the preseason tour commences later this summer.
Initially, Barcelona suggested that United would need to cough up a fee comparable to the one they paid for Paul Pogba in the summer of 2016, which has much bad feeling attached with the French World Cup winner having already departed the Old Trafford club as a free agent once again.
However, sources of The Mirror in the Netherlands believe that a ‘fee in the region of £68 million, plus add-ons could seal the deal‘. It has been reported that De Jong wanted to stay in Spain when Ten Hag made his interest known and not being in the UEFA Champions League was a big deal.
Having played just three seasons at Barcelona, it was expected that the 25-year-old would dig in his heels and fight to remain at the club but Ten Hag has stated that he ‘intends to bring back the glory years to the Theatre of Dreams once more‘, seemingly selling his project to his compatriot.
Written by John Walker
