Barcelona’s Attempt to Sell Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United Fails

Barcelona recently made efforts to sell Frenkie de Jong during the summer transfer window, with Manchester United being one of the primary clubs interested in acquiring the Dutch midfielder. United had been in the market for a top central midfielder, and De Jong, along with Manuel Ugarte, was among their main targets. However, despite Barcelona’s attempts, De Jong made it clear that he had no intention of leaving the club.

According to reports from Sport, Barcelona was eager to offload De Jong’s wages from their payroll. The club is reportedly concerned that De Jong might plan to run down his contract, which is set to expire in 2026. To address this, Barcelona set an asking price of just €35-40 million for the midfielder.

Manchester United’s Longstanding Interest

Manchester United’s interest in De Jong is not new. Their current manager, Erik ten Hag, is a big fan of the player, having worked with him at Ajax when they reached the Champions League semi-final in 2019. Back in July 2022, Barcelona had even accepted an €85 million bid from Manchester United and made it clear they wanted De Jong to move to Old Trafford. However, De Jong refused to join United and opted to stay at Barcelona, despite interest from other major clubs like Chelsea and Bayern Munich.

Frenkie de Jong has been a key player for Barcelona. During the 2022-23 season, he played an important role as the team won La Liga, making 33 league appearances, scoring two goals, and providing four assists. However, he faced challenges during the previous season, where Barcelona had a disappointing run, and De Jong also missed Euro 2024 due to injury.

Also Read: IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack – A Tale of Terror and Controversy

De Jong’s Future at Barcelona

Now in his sixth season at Camp Nou, De Jong continues to be an integral part of the team, which he joined in 2019 from Ajax for €75 million. Despite the off-field issues, Barcelona has made a strong start to the new season under their new manager, Hansi Flick, winning all four of their La Liga matches so far. De Jong’s future at the club remains a topic of interest, especially considering the ongoing financial concerns at Barcelona.

Please like and subscribe the news letter to stay updated!