Manchester United and Barcelona have reportedly closed a deal worth €85 million (£71.7 million) for Frenkie de Jong this summer according to Spanish journalist Oriol Domenech. This comes after it was revealed that Richard Arnold and John Murtough were in Barcelona to conclude a deal.
It has also been reported by Gerard Romero that both Arnold and Murtough have stayed in Barcelona this evening, seemingly with more work to do on the deal to get it across the line. Whilst this is good news, it seems that there is a but waiting in the wings.
According to Domenech, De Jong, 25, does not want to leave Barcelona now – which has supposedly been his position from the beginning. He is grateful for United’s offer and knows that Barcelona needs to sell him but he is not satisfied with the exit.
The reports that have been rife over the past month or so have all suggested that De Jong was reluctant to leave the club but that he was happy to leave for United. Either this is old information coming out now or the media has lied over the past month?
It really seems strange that this is the result of things at this time – that a deal has been struck for a player who does not want to leave. Could United do that without sounding out the player or his agent, seemingly taking a player who does not really want to play for United?
It was even suggested that De Jong has spoken to Erik ten Hag about the move and was convinced by the Dutch manager about what he was going to implement at United, building a team around the Dutch midfielder – either that was a pack of lies or something good is going to happen?
It just seems typical at this stage that well over 50 days have been wasted chasing a player who is not fully sold on a move from the club he always wanted to play for. However, that said, this could just be information that has been recycled in the media once more.
Right now, it seems that both United and Barcelona have agreed a fee for the player, which has been closed but the Old Trafford club need to do more in order to convince the player who has possibly realised that the club he wanted to play for since being a child has decided to sell him.
Of course, that is not his fault at all and is the unfortunate things about being signed by a club that has so badly affected their financial freedom – having to mortgage future earnings to to help balance the books. The fact he’s owed money after deferred wages is only part of the problem.
Written by John Walker
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