According to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, Manchester United could lose out on top target Frenkie De Jong if current side Barcelona decide he is ‘integral’ to their plans moving forward.
The Dutch international has been linked consistently so far this summer and while it has been reported a deal could be done very soon, in the region of €65 million, the deal could still hit a stumbling block if one key situation takes place.
Jacobs believes that if Barcelona manager Xavi tells De Jong that he is integral to their future plans and the club still wants him next season, the 25-year-old could turn down the deal from United and stay at the Spanish giants.
He said on the Done Deal show, “I genuinely believe De Jong when he says Barcelona is his dream club and he’d like to stay and that’s why Barcelona need to make it abundantly clear to De Jong that they want him to leave.
“but if it’s intimated by Xavi, for example, to De Jong that he still has an integral part to play at the football club, you still might find that the big twist in all this is United do the leg work and then De Jong turns down the deal”
TIF Thoughts on Jacob’s comments…
It does not come as a surprise that De Jong could well end up staying at the Blaugrana this summer if the club make it known he is important and they still want him as he has stated on the record and said that the club is in fact his ‘dream club’.
He would instantly improve the Red Devils’ midfield as last season as he ranked in the 95th percentile for progressive passes received, the 94th for progressive carries, and 93rd for non-penalty expected goals against other midfielders in the top five leagues.
It would be disastrous for United to miss out on signing De Jong as they have identified him as their top target this summer and missing out on him would certainly show how far they have fallen since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Will United sign de Jong?Yes
No
|