Frenkie de Jong remains ‘under heavy pressure’ from Barcelona’s management to accept a move to Manchester United this summer.
That’s according to Algemeen Dagblad, who covered the ongoing transfer saga around the midfielder on Monday.
They explain that while Barcelona have already reached an agreement with Manchester United on an €80m deal for De Jong, he continues to refuse to make the switch.
The player recently flew out with the Barca squad for their pre-season tour, but the pressure is on from those in charge at the Nou Camp.
That as only increased following the arrival of Robert Lewandowski, who the Catalans cannot officially register until they make room in their wage bill to do so.
De Jong is the most sellable asset on that front, but while there are other players on high wages, he is the one with both the longest contract and market value.
The player is, though, refusing to make the switch. He believes the squad has been reinforced to such an extent this summer that Barcelona will be better next season. They can also offer him Champions League football, which Manchester United cannot.
Barcelona also still owe him a ‘substantial amount’ in wages after the player voluntarily ‘handed in millions’ during the pandemic to ease the club’s financial problems. That sum now needs to be paid back to him.
De Jong is also happy in Barcelona, with him and his fiancée Mikky Kiemeney recently buying a house in the Pedralbes district.
Then there’s the future of Sergio Busquets, who only has a year left on his current deal and looks set to leave next summer. That would open up space for De Jong to be the key man in Xavi’s midfield moving forwards.
In other words, there are plenty of reasons for him to continue rejecting the move to Manchester United this summer, despite the pressure from Barcelona.
