The transfer period has already been open for 17 days and the focus of Manchester United has barely shifted from Frenkie de Jong, the midfielder who is seen as the talisman of Erik ten Hag’s Old Trafford reconstruction. The new coach wants to reunite with the 25-year-old and sees him as key to implementing his philosophy in a squad that needs him so much in recent seasons.
But negotiations on De Jong have been moving forward. Barcelona knows how much United wants him, but United knows how Barcelona needs the money. So far, neither side has blinked, but maybe this week could see a turning point. Barcelona’s accounting period with the League ends on Thursday and a sale earlier will be beneficial.
It would still be a surprise, not to mention a disaster, if United do not sign De Jong, but this saga of transfers has lasted so long that, although fans will be delighted to see the Dutch midfielder arrive, he will be accompanied. both for relief and for excitement.
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The anticipation among fans now is for what will come next. United have held talks on a free transfer for Christian Eriksen, but working on a large, though not unlimited budget this summer, have prioritized a deal for De Jong before assessing what remains.
Once a deal is made by De Jong, United will look to step up their attack and Ten Hag would like to sign another player they know from Ajax, one who still plays football in Amsterdam in this case, Antony.
There are already parallels with De Jong’s persecution. The asking price of £ 69 million from Ajax for a 22-year-old who still has something to prove is an obstacle to overcome. Ajax need no cash and will be determined to make a tough deal to deter Ten Hag from aiming for other former players, as Jurrien Timber and Lisandro Martinez have been considered on defense.
Finding a deal for De Jong first makes sense for United, but it has also taken time out the window. They’ve been laying the groundwork for other possible deals in the background, but the team has now returned for the preseason and will be touring for a week on Thursday.
Ten Hag will expect to have De Jong on the plane to Bangkok, but as for the new faces, that could be considering the next departure date. Even that depends on the progress being made on the midfielder.
There are merits in United’s approach to driving a tough business for De Jong. They try to destroy the reputation of overpaying the players and insist that if they had reached an agreement at the beginning of the summer with the figures that Barcelona quoted, it would have an impact on the surplus funds.
It is also relevant that De Jong will show up for pre-season training next Monday as soon as possible, so no time has been wasted in terms of his ability to settle quickly at United , but the time available for United to conclude has been consumed. more offers. The window remains open until September 1, but then we will have five games of the Premier League season and with a new coach in place, it is vital that any newcomer has the opportunity to settle in. as soon as possible.
Once De Jong is signed, business is likely to pick up at United, but they should avoid another transfer saga that takes weeks to resolve. If you go from De Jong to Antony and from one long search to another, this could be detrimental in this window.
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