Getty Frenkie de Jong lines up with Barcelona.
Frenkie de Jong continues to make it clear he wants to stay at Barcelona but his comments have done little to prevent speculation he could be sold in the summer transfer window.
Indeed there is now a “serious chance” the Netherlands international has already played his last game for the club, according to Luis Miguelsanz at Diario Sport. Barcelona and Manchester United are “close to a financial agreement following conversations.”
The Red Devils are willing to pay Barca’s asking price of €80 million to land the 25-year-old. The fee would be a huge financial boost for Barca but “everything depends on what the player decides in the coming days.”
Manchester United still “face a big challenge” convincing De Jong to move to Old Trafford, particularly as the club are not able to offer Champions League football for next season.
Manager Erik ten Hag “has been speaking with De Jong and his camp and is pushing a lot” for the midfielder to make the move. The midfielder has been “offered more money and the chance to lead the project” under the club’s new coach.
However, De Jong has already said his preference is to stay at Barcelona and made it crystal clear that the Catalan giants are his “dream club” despite the ongoing speculation in an interview with ESPN.
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De Jong Has Telling Comments
De Jong is curently on international duty with the Netherlands and played a starring role for the Oranje in a 4-1 Nations League win over neighbours Belgium. It’s the first time since 1997 that the Dutch team have beaten their rivals.
Frenkie de Jong’s game by numbers vs. Belgium:
100% take-ons completed (2/2)
100% long ball accuracy (3/3)
100% aerial duels won (3/3)
93 touches (most)
92% pass accuracy
82 passes (most)
4 chances created
3 clearances
2 interceptions
2 fouls won
1 tackle made
1 assist
Wow.
The midfielder spoke out after the game to NOS about his role with the Dutch team and how it matches up with how he is deployed by Barcelona, as reported by Football Oranje.
“Of course I play in a completely different way for the Dutch national team than for Barcelona. I think this suits me a lot better,” he said. “De Jong wants to be the one to receive the ball from the defence, “I like it when I am one of the first points of contact in midfield from the defense.”
De Jong’s comments have offered Manchester United encouragement they could land the midfielder this summer, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. A move to Old Trafford would see De Jong reunited with former Ajax boss Ten Hag.
De Jong Sale Would ‘Be a Technical Decision’
It’s been widely thought that Barcelona would only sell De Jong for financial reasons but the club’s economic vice-president, Eduard Romeu, has insisted that is not the case at all.
Romeu has spoken in depth about the club’s difficult economic position and told RAC1 that if the midfielder were to leave this summer it would be for footballing rather than financial reasons, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
“We have not budgeted for the sale of players,” he said. “Frenkie de Jong? If he leaves, it’s a technical decision, not an economic one. But I repeat, we have planned no departure.”
However, coach Xavi has already told reporters the club’s financial situation could dictate De Jong’s future even though in the manager’s eyes he is a “fundamental player” for Barcelona.
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