Frenkie De Jong preference: Barcelona > Man City > any other Champions League club > Man Utd
Manchester United face an uphill battle to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona despite reports claiming a deal to land the midfielder this summer is ’95 per cent’ done.
Spanish journalist Gerard Romero claimed on Thursday that United are close to signing De Jong from Barcelona and a deal could be announced very soon.
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The move would see De Jong reunited with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford after the pair worked together at Ajax, who made £65million by selling the Dutch international to Barcelona in 2019.
United are after at least one, probably two, central midfielders in the summer and have been alerted to the possibility that Barcelona may need to sell the 25-year-old to fund other business.
But ESPN claim that despite their time together in Amsterdam, ‘Ten Hag is not a particular pull for De Jong’.
The report adds that ‘there is an acceptance at Old Trafford that it would be a difficult deal to get over the line’.
It’s claimed De Jong’s preference is to remain at Barcelona and if he was deemed surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp he would want to move to a club playing Champions League football.
And that club could be Manchester City, who were in the hunt for the midfielder when he moved from Ajax.
Pep Guardiola is said to be an admirer and and despite having already announced a deal for Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, ESPN claim City will be conducting further transfer business this summer.
Fernandinho is expected to leave the Etihad in the summer, meaning a spot in midfield could open up for De Jong.
Barcelona boss Xavi said last month that if were up to him, De Jong would remain with the Catalans.
“I haven’t talked with him about his future,” Xavi admitted. “He is playing at a very good level and has to continue here – he can be one of the best midfielders in the world for years to come.
“If it were up to me, I would continue here for many more years. He is very important and can mark an era here. He has to score, assist and he has to be the protagonist.”
