Man City set to ruin Man Utd double raid for ‘best friends in football’ as Barcelona star ‘wants’ to join

Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong wants to move to Man City over the summer transfer window despite interest from rivals Man Utd, according to reports.

The Netherlands international has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League over the past couple of years with the Red Devils often dominating rumours.

Reports linking De Jong with a move to Old Trafford were particularly rife during Erik ten Hag’s first summer in charge with it looking likely that a move would materialise at one stage.

However, it was understood that De Jong never had any intention of leaving Barcelona despite the Catalan giants’ attempts to offload his huge salary onto another club.

There has been speculation in every window since and De Jong came out earlier this year to hit out at the “lies” in the media over the reporting of his contract and future.

“My future? The truth is that I’m a bit p*ssed off with what you people [journalists] write in general! A lot of things are coming out that are not true, it’s irritating me,” De Jong told reporters in February.

“Everything that is said in the media about my salary and my future are lies. It’s a lot of smoke.

“I know that a lot of things are made up in the media, you write things that are not true. You are doing it in general with a lot of players, coaches even. You can’t do that, you are making things up. Stop this.

“I consider the club to be my teammates, the staff, I’m enjoying it a lot… The media sometimes criticise my level, it doesn’t matter because everyone can have their own opinion. But I don’t accept lies. Don’t lie.”

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There were reports earlier this week that Man Utd are lining up a double swoop for ‘best friends in football’ De Jong and former Ajax team-mate Matthijs de Ligt, who is currently playing for Bayern Munich.

But now reports in Spain claim that De Jong ‘wants to sign’ for Man City with Barcelona once again looking to cash in on one of their best players.

The La Liga side ‘once again hangs up the transfer sign’ for De Jong and want to ‘get him off their back before he begins to devalue himself’.

The report adds:

‘If the offer had arrived last year, Barça would have tried to include Bernardo Silva in the operation at the request of Xavi Hernández . However, the Portuguese star is no longer of interest.

‘Barça will not be benevolent with a club that did not drop a single euro from the 55 million it asked for Ferran Torres and that wants to make a killing with Joao Cancelo.’

Barcelona ‘know that City will not pay’ his €4oom release clause but ‘will not go below a figure that is around’ €100m, while De Jong ‘would not mind joining Pep Guardiola ‘s team’ as he is attracted to their current project.