According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United will need to change the mind of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong as the player does not want to leave the La Liga giants despite a deal being agreed between the two clubs.
The Red Devils have completed the moves for two big players this window with the arrivals of Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez, but have so far failed to get a deal over the line for primary target De Jong.
While it is no secret the Dutchman would prefer to stay with the Blaugrana, Romano has revealed that there is still a valid deal between the two clubs and it will come down to United being able to change his mind in the coming weeks.
Romano said: “They’re waiting to understand if they will be able to change Frenkie de Jong’s mind or not. This is a really important point, because, let me clarify – there is an agreement still valid between Man United and Barcelona, €75m plus €10m in add-ons for Frenkie de Jong.
“Everything ready between clubs, but Frenkie is still on the same position – no intention to leave Barcelona. So let’s see if Man United will be able to change the situation on the player’s side in the coming weeks or not.”
TIF Thoughts on Romano’s comments…
United have been pursuing De Jong since the start of the window so therefore getting a deal for the player is crucial, not only for their squad next season but for how they will be perceived as an attractive destination for transfers.
Convincing De Jong will be a huge task for Erik ten Hag because if they are to be taken seriously under their new manager will not afford to be rejected by an enormous talent like De Jong, especially for a team like Barcelona who’s been plagued by financial problems in recent seasons.
De Jong has the potential to transfer United’s midfield next season alongside Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes as last season he ranked in the 95th percentile for progressive passes received, 94th for progressive carries and the 92nd for pass completions with 90.1%, compared to other midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues.
With a deal of around €85 million agreed between the two clubs and taking into account Barcelona’s financial woes, I’m sure both clubs are looking to get the deal done. Knowing that the club wants to sell him, surely that will end up playing into De Jong’s decision. We will have to wait and see.
Will De Jong sign for united?Yes
No
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