For the past few days, various reports coming out of the Catalan press have discussed Manchester United’s interest in Frenkie de Jong.
The Red Devils were brought into the picture a day after they confirmed the appointment of Erik ten Hag as their new manager for next season.
De Jong played under the orders of the 52-year-old at Ajax, and it is an ‘open secret’ the midfielder is now a target for his former manager at Manchester United.
On Wednesday, Sport stated Ten Hag wants to make the Netherlands international the ‘cornerstone’ of his new project at Old Trafford. Another report from the same newspaper is titled: ‘Frenkie, orphan of Ronald Koeman’.
It was the former Everton manager who handed the 24-year-old his first international cap, and his ‘dismissal’ earlier in the season is affecting De Jong. The pair were ‘close’ and the ‘chemistry’ between them existed on and off the pitch.
The Dutchman is ‘now fading’ at the Camp Nou and ‘hit rock bottom’ in Barca’s 1-0 loss to Raya Vallecano last weekend. In a matter of months, the ex-Ajax star has ‘gone from one of the club’s great values for the future to being seen in the shop window as an option to make money this summer.’
De Jong’s girlfriend, Mikky Kiemeney, shared a close bond with Koeman’s wife, Bartina. ‘Now, nothing is same’ for the pair, since the coach’s exit from the Catalan club in 2021.
For these reasons and with Ten Hag’s presence at Old Trafford next season, the option to get transferred to Manchester United appears to be a ‘reality’.
De Jong was part of the Ajax squad that made it to the Champions League semi-final under Ten Hag’s orders in 2019. Sport end the report by stating that ‘a return to the origins can seduce you’.
This would mean the option to reunite with Ten Hag at Manchester United ‘seduces’ De Jong.
