Manchester United are reportedly willing to offer Marcus Rashford and Alex Telles to Barcelona as part of the deal to sign Frenkie de Jong in the summer.
According to a report from Fichajes, Manchester United have made Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong their top priority for the summer transfer window. The Red Devils wish to sign the Netherlands international and are ready to include two players in a part-exchange deal to convince the Spanish giants to sell their mainstay.
Frenkie de Jong joined Barcelona from AFC Ajax in the summer of 2019 in a deal worth €86 million. While the 24-year-old has had a few ups and downs, he has been a permanent fixture in the middle of the park at Camp Nou throughout his stint at the club. There were a few rumblings around his future after a poor run of form earlier this season, but all those have died down for a while now.
However, things could pick up steam again as Manchester United have set their sights on a summer move for Frenkie de Jong. The 20-time English champions are set to kickstart a new era at the club after appointing Erik ten Hag as their new manager. The 52-year-old will take over the reins in the summer. As the first order of business, he wants to sign de Jong at Old Trafford.
It was under ten Hag that de Jong first burst out at Ajax and showed signs of becoming a world-class midfielder before being poached by Barcelona. And the Dutch tactician is now seeking a reunion with his former protege at his new club before the start of the next season.
While Barcelona have no particular interest in selling a player who is seen as a core member of the team Xavi Hernandez is building, an exciting offer could tempt them into considering a departure. The report states that ideally, the Catalans would seek a sum in excess of the €86 million they paid to sign de Jong in 2019.
And while the financial aspect should not be an issue for Manchester United, they are still interested in lowering the transfer fee by offering two players as part of the deal to sign the Netherlands international from Barcelona. And the report adds that the Premier League heavyweights would be willing to trade Marcus Rashford and Alex Telles to the Catalans along with cash in exchange for de Jong.
Rashford is a player that Barcelona are interested in as they scour the market for reinforcements in the centre-forward position. At the same time, they are also looking for a left-back to provide cover for Jordi Alba, and Telles could be the solution they are looking for. However, apart from offering the two players, Manchester United would still need to pay a significant sum in cash if they wish to sign de Jong.
With Paul Pogba almost certain to depart, a player like de Jong is a necessary addition at Old Trafford. However, it remains to be seen if Manchester United can convince Barcelona to sell their prized asset. The possibility of missing out on the UEFA Champions League for next season could also derail their pursuit of the 24-year-old.
