Manchester United have reportedly been dealt another blow in their pursuit of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong. Their £72m agreement with the Catalan club has apparently expired.
The 25-year-old has been the main target of the Red Devils all season. Erik ten Hag has been desperate to seek his services to improve United’s lackluster midfield.
Initially, United struggled to agree with Barcelona on financial terms. De Jong is still in a contract with Camp Nou until the summer of 2026. The two clubs had eventually reached an agreement on a fee of about £72m. However, convincing De Jong to make the move has been a fruitless struggle for United.
The Red Devils would be only able to offer him Europa League football, instead of the Champions League football he desires. There is also an issue with the wages he is owed by Barcelona. De Jong is apparently owed about €18m (£15.2m) by Barcelona. He has refused to move on this stance. This is reportedly holding up United’s transfer business as Ten Hag seeks to push for a move.
However, it now seems that United’s agreement over a fee with Barcelona has expired, further complicating matters regarding the Dutchman. And despite his initial reluctance, De Jong has said to his teammates that he may transfer to United.
Chelsea supposedly has an interest in de Jong. They may be ready to hijack the deal, and this may be the perfect opportunity for them to do so. Tuchel downplayed his side’s hopes of signing a midfielder, however, N’golo Kante’s hamstring injury may affect his plans.
After Frenkie de Jong, what next for United?
Apart from Frenkie de Jong, Manchester United has been linked with a host of other players over the window.
Their negotiations with Adrien Rabiot have apparently broken down over disagreements on wages. This is despite reaching an agreement with Juventus over a fee.
United is likely still hoping to sign a solid midfielder. Rumors over Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo and even Real Madrid’s Casemiro have risen in the past 24 hours.
Apart from that, they also seek a new forward. Atletico’s Alvaro Morata and Matheus Cunha, as well as Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, have been linked with Manchester United.
