According to De Telegraaf, Manchester United have joined the race to sign Ajax wunderkind Frenkie de Jong. It is believed that the Red Devils have already contacted the player’s agent, Ali Dursun, and will be competing with the likes of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid for the services of the 21-year-old.
Even though Dursun has confirmed that he won’t be able to begin any kind of negotiation until Ajax sanction a sale, he refused to rule out a possibility of his client joining Manchester United or any of the big clubs in the upcoming transfer window.
Frenkie de Jong – stats and attributes
Generally advertised as a central midfielder, Frenkie de Jong has raised a lot of eyebrows this season thanks to his excellent passing and ball distribution. Much like Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund, the 21-year-old flourishes in possession-based football, which complements his own skill set in the middle of the park.
However, de Jong, in many regards, could be deemed as an upgrade on Weigl, as he is way more proficient when it comes to attacking prowess. Indeed, aside from carrying the ball in midfield, de Jong is blessed with a stunning vision in the final third, which makes him an effective midfielder who not only distributes the ball but also create chances.
Statistics do back up his traits in midfield as the Ajax prodigy had averaged 62 passes per game last season with an accuracy of over 90%. But most importantly, he also racked up 1.5 key passes as well as attempting almost two tackles per game. His intelligence and ability to read the game is also improving, having averaged 1.3 interceptions per game so far this season.
Why Manchester United need Frenkie de Jong
Frenkie de Jong could be an exciting addition to Manchester United given their lack of creativity in the final third. Even though the Red Devils boasts the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial, most of them have appeared very topsy-turvy regarding their form over the past six months or so.
As a result, United are now in dire need of some midfield reinforcement in an attempt to bolster their creative department. And Frenkie de Jong, in that regard, could be a fascinating choice for Jose Mourinho.
The 21-year-old has shown immense potential during the past 18 months or so and could flourish alongside someone like Paul Pogba. The latter’s sheer physical prowess and tenacity along with de Jong’s technical superiority could combine to form a dangerous midfield duo.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not will Manchester United be able to snap him up in nigh future especially with so many top clubs vying for his signature.
Stat credit: Whoscored
