Manchester United will be a “tough sell” for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong, transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT.
Erik ten Hag’s side slumped to a disappointing 7-0 defeat against Liverpool at the weekend and Jones believes United will struggle to persuade De Jong to leave Barcelona.
Manchester United transfer news – Frenkie De Jong
According to The Athletic, United had highlighted De Jong as their primary target ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, but were unsuccessful in their attempts to land the Dutch midfielder.
It’s claimed United had agreed a deal worth £63 million with Barcelona for De Jong’s services, with key members of the Red Devils’ hierarchy travelling to Catalonia for face-to-face talks with De Jong.
Ultimately, the deal fell through and United were forced to explore alternative midfield options, eventually settling on the £70 million purchase of Casemiro from Real Madrid.
However, with ten Hag having improved United’s fortunes since taking charge, rumours linking De Jong with the Stretford-based outfit have resurfaced again.
As per a report in The Guardian, United are considering rekindling their interest in De Jong ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report suggests that while signing a new centre-forward will be United’s main priority next summer, they remain open to the prospect of signing De Jong from Barcelona.
What has Dean Jones said about De Jong to United?
Speaking in an interview with GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones reiterated United’s standpoint and admitted the interest was there, but also cast doubt on their chances of landing him.
On the 25-year-old, Jones said: “He’s not going to push for a move away from Barcelona until he’s left with no choice but to do that.
“So as it stands right now, if he’s just walking through things at Barcelona, and there’s no pressure on him to leave, then he won’t leave.
“I think it’s a tough sell for United in that personal aspect to Frenkie De Jong at the moment, especially on the back of the 7-0 defeat.”
Would De Jong be a worthwhile signing for United?
In short, absolutely. As displayed in the 7-0 mullering against rivals Liverpool, United lost control of the midfield battle, with the Merseyside outfit completing over 140 more passes (FotMob).
De Jong is a player capable of dictating the tempo of a match, with the Dutch international a natural with the ball at his feet.
According to FBref, the ex-Ajax man attempts over 65 passes per 90 minutes, averaging a passing accuracy of 89%.
What’s more, De Jong has proven himself to be a useful option for a side’s attack, as he averages over three shot-creating actions each match.
Should De Jong become available and should United be able to lure him away from Barcelona, it’s clear he’s a player that would improve ten Hag’s side and continue taking them to the next level.
