It has been reported that Manchester United have opened the bid for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong with an initial bid that could amount to around £ 68.3 million if performance-related bonuses are taken into account. The Red Devils are believed to be keen to take De Jong to Old Trafford before the start of next season as Erik ten Hag seeks to bolster his midfield rankings over the coming weeks and months.
De Jong flourished under the direction of Ten Hag before joining Barcelona from Ajax in 2019 and has been eager to reunite with his former boss for Manchester in the not-too-distant future. It seems that United have finally decided to strengthen their interest in the Dutchman before the summer window opens on Friday, as Barcelona have received a first official offer in the region of 68.3 million pounds, according to Marca .
United’s bid is said to be a fixed transfer fee of £ 51.2 million, and the Red Devils also incorporate another £ 17 million in performance-related add-ons. However, it remains to be seen whether the offer will be enough to tempt Barcelona, who are said to be in no hurry to sell De Jong before the start of the new campaign.
De Jong remains tied to the Catalan giants until the summer of 2026 and is said to be Xavi’s favorite, who took over at the end of last year. The player is also believed to be concerned about a possible move to United due to a lack of Champions League football offerings, suggesting that personal terms could be difficult to agree on for the Red Devils without paying the probabilities.
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However, it is said that United’s recent offer is being taken seriously, as the report states that the total of £ 68.3 million is relatively close to De Jong’s valuation for Barcelona. Ten Hag is also believed to have spoken to the midfielder to assure him that he would play a very important role at Old Trafford if he decides to jump on the boat over the next few weeks.
De Jong would certainly fit the profile of what Ten Hag are looking for at United, who are asking for additional reinforcements in the middle of the park after deciding not to extend the contracts of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic. However, the Barcelona man recently suggested that he should be persuaded to join the Red Devils because he would rather stay at the Camp Nou in the foreseeable future.
DO NOT MISS
“I won’t get into that,” he told Algemeen Dagblad when asked about United’s interest in his services earlier this month. “Not even on other names or clubs, I used to be naive and open-minded, I don’t do it anymore.
“I understand that this link is made. This sum is not so difficult, it is logical. I liked working with Ten Hag at Ajax and I can’t look to the future, of course. But I prefer to stay in Barcelona.
“This has always been my dream club and it still is. As long as I don’t listen to the club’s management, I guess nothing will happen.”
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