Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will reportedly pounce at the opportunity to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong if he becomes available this summer.
The Dutchman, 26, was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford last summer. The Red Devils had reached an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer to take place, but the player publicly stated that he wanted to stay at Nou Camp. And he stayed at Barcelona and helped them win the La Liga title in May.
According to 90min, Bayern Munich have enquired about Frenkie de Jong’s availability amid Barcelona’s financial woes, but Manchester United still retain an interest in him.
The addition of Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from Manchester City, as well as Barcelona’s pursuit of a player to replace Sergio Busquets, has left De Jong a little worried about his playing time under Xavi Hernandez next season.
If the Netherlands international decides to leave the Spanish champions, ten Hag and Manchester United are not expected to be far away from any potential deal, the report adds.
Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United—A better alternative to Mason Mount?
Manchester United are trying to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount but have had three bids rejected so far. Their latest bid worth £55million was turned down by the Blues, who made a counteroffer of £60million plus £7million in add-ons.
Following the slow progress, Manchester United have threatened to walk away from the Mount deal. While Manchester United and Chelsea remain on the negotiation table to get a deal done for Mount, the £55million offer will not stay forever as ten Hag wishes to bring in two midfielders for next season.
Frenkie de Jong vs Manchester United at Old Trafford. Beautiful performance. pic.twitter.com/CphtphHIcK
— Cam (@Casemigos_) June 26, 2023
The manager remains an admirer of Frenkie de Jong and could switch his focus if the midfielder’s potential departure from Barcelona this summer becomes a reality. In an ideal world, he feels de Jong would still be the perfect midfielder for his project at Old Trafford.
The Netherlands international has grown into a key player for Xavi. He featured 33 times in La Liga last season, scoring two goals and registering four assists. Stylistically, de Jong and Mount are midfielders with completely different profiles. While de Jong would be an upgrade on Christian Eriksen and give United more control in midfield, Mount’s addition should boost their creativity in the final third.
As Manchester United do have creative players in Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho and Antony who can slice open defences with one incisive pass or a killer through ball, they lack someone who can sit beside Casemiro and dictate the flow of games for longer periods.
That is why the signing of de Jong would make sense as he would be perfect for a double-pivot role alongside Casemiro. The Dutchman would bring better technical skills, tactical intelligence, and versatility that would help Manchester United keep the ball better in the middle of the park.
As a deal for Mount continues to stall, ten Hag and Manchester United must enquire about de Jong and, if they find any glimmer of hope that a deal can be done, they should strike.
