Manchester United have not given up on signing Frenkie de Jong and will try again to sign him.
United and Erik ten Hag spent much of the summer chasing the Dutchman, but the move proved elusive.
De Jong showed little to no appetite in an Old Trafford meeting with his former Ajax boss. This, added to a dispute over his deferred salary owed by the blaugrana, made a move impossible.
Since then, it has been widely reported that the Red Devils had moved on and set their sights on alternate targets like Enzo Fernandez and Jude Bellingham.
However, according to the reliable Andy Mitten, the 20-time English champions are ready to reignite their search for the Barca man.
Mitten reports: “Erik ten Hag is a huge fan of both players [De Jong and Bellingham] and the United manager wants to continue bringing world-class players to Old Trafford as he looks to restore his status as an elite club.
“The [Ten Hag] He considers De Jong to be a world-class talent and has the right type of character to fit into the United team.”
Mitten’s report is backed by the BBC’s Simon Stone, who reports: “Erik ten Hag is still very interested in signing Frenkie de Jong and wants to review the situation in the summer.” The Manchester Evening News> Reporter Samuel Luckhurst adds that the 25-year-old, despite his public statements of wanting to stay in Spain, privately assured Ten Hag that he was willing to be part of his United rebuilding.
✅ Frenkie De Jong privately assured Erik ten Hag that he was happy to join United, even though he publicly stressed that he preferred to stay at Barcelona. @samueluckhurst
— UtdPlug (@UtdPlug) December 17, 2022
Starting initially on the Catalan club’s bench this season after a disastrous summer, De Jong has worked his way back into Xavi’s starting XI, where he plays alongside Pedri and Gavi.
The Barca coach has insisted on many occasions that he is a fan of the Dutch international and sees him as an important player in his plans.
De Jong is likely to be in the Barca squad that faces United in the Europa League in February, giving fans a chance to see why Ten Hag values him so highly.
