Manchester United

Manchester United: Journalist makes huge plea as transfer saga rumbles on

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Image for Manchester United: Journalist makes huge plea as transfer saga rumbles on

Journalist Jacque Talbot is adamant that Manchester United can’t pull out of a deal for Frenkie de Jong at this stage.

The Barcelona midfielder’s future still remains cloudy despite weeks of talks between the two clubs over a potential transfer.

An initial offer of €65m (£54.8m) has been agreed, while the structure of how to pay the remaining €20m (£16.8m) in add-ons is yet to be finalised.

However, with the Catalan giants though to owe the Dutch maestro £17m in deferred wages (90min), it has thrown a deal into turmoil.

Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold and director of football John Murtough have flown out to Spain this week in order to hold face-to-face talks, but the clubs remain at an impasse, with De Jong’s preference to stay at his current club, although he is unlikely to agree to the salary cut they have proposed (as per Fabrizio Romano).

Nonetheless, Talbot is of the impression that the Red Devils must come to an agreement no matter what, having gone to such lengths to capture the 25-year-old.

Speaking on the All For United YouTube channel, he said: “They [Barcelona] know that United cannot afford to miss out on him. At this point, it’s gone too far.

“If they pulled out now, it could collapse. I mean, it’s already becoming a detriment to the season, I’d argue. This whole saga is becoming a detriment to their new season under Ten Hag.”

TIF Thoughts on De Jong and United…

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It does seem as if Erik ten Hag sees his former Ajax playmaker as the face of his United team, having made the 43-cap international his number-one target since he was appointed back in April.

There has been some suggestion that the player is privately open to a reunion with the man he worked alongside to scoop the 2018/19 Champions League Midfielder of the Season award, and perhaps that affection will eventually prove telling, but for now, the club will seemingly have to keep their patience before ending this ‘game of poker’

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