Barcelona wait on €80m Man Utd offer as Ten Hag works to alleviate key De Jong concern

Barcelona are reportedly open to negotiating with Manchester United for Frenki de Jong but are yet to receive a ‘formal offer’ from the Premier League side.

Sport claim United are currently ‘moving in private to fit all the pieces’ and, according to Barcelona sources, are yet to make an official proposal for the midfielder.

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The report states that the Catalans would be willing to sell De Jong if they receive an offer of around €80m.

It’s claimed there have been ‘contacts, calls and efforts to assess the options that United have to take over the Dutch midfielder’, but an official bid is yet to materialise.

A report from the same publication on Monday claimed Erik ten Hag’s ‘seduction’ was working, with the United boss close to convincing De Jong – whom he worked with successfully in their time together at Ajax – to move to Old Trafford.

But Tuesday’s report claims Ten Hag still has work to do to make the ‘absolute leader’ of that Ajax team one of his first signings as United’s new manager, with the club’s lack of Champions League football ‘something that is holding back the player’s availability’.

What is made clear by the report is Barcelona’s apparent willingness to sell De Jong for the right price, if United do indeed make a formal approach.

While on international duty with the Netherlands, De Jong revealed in an interview that he has recently spoken to Barcelona boss Xavi about his future and also opened up on his relationship with Ten Hag.

De Jong said: “I have enough confidence in myself [to be a success at Barcelona]. I am not afraid. I recently spoke extensively with the trainer [Xavi]. That was a very good conversation.

“I will not go into that [the links to United]. Not even about other names or clubs. I used to be naive and open-minded about it. I don’t do that anymore.

“I understand that that link is made. That sum is not that difficult, it is logical. I have enjoyed working with Ten Hag at Ajax – and I can’t look into the future, of course. But I prefer to stay at Barcelona.

“That has always been my dream club and it still is. As long as I don’t hear from the club management, I assume nothing is going on.”