Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has identified Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong as his main target this summer.
The Red Devils have so far not managed to find an agreement with the La Liga side, whose delegate members yesterday gave approval to the sale ‘of a minority stake in BLM and the TV rights’, bringing in some much needed cash.
Despite receiving the necessary financial boost, AS claim the Catalan club ‘remain firm’ in their position to sell De Jong and their decision to offload the midfielder has not changed.
Barcelona’s objective is to ‘intensify contacts’ with the Netherlands international’s suitors soon, to get an offer that suits them. They are asking for at least €80m, and, so far, no offer of such magnitude has arrived at the Camp Nou.
Manchester United are tagged in the report as they are the only one to have made ‘first formal contact’ with Xavi Hernández’s side. The figures considered by the Red Devils are €60m plus bonuses, and this was deemed ‘insufficient’ by the Spanish giants.
What is certain, as far as AS are concerned, is that De Jong, who has already emptied his locker, will not continue at the club next season. Manchester United are keen because of their manager, and Ten Hag’s ‘pressure begins to penetrate’ his compatriot.
Xavi’s side have insisted their decision to sell the 25-year-old is down to sporting reasons, but AS state it is a combination of both sporting and financial reasons. The Dutchman earns €13m net per year and is one of the highest paid players at Barcelona. His exit will help them lower their wage bill.
With the former Ajax man already emptying his locker and Barcelona determined to sell him, it is now down to Manchester United to find an agreement with De Jong’s employer to carry out his signing.
