Manchester United could revive their interest in Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong ahead of the winter transfer deadline day despite their failed pursuit of him prior to this season.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong remains on Erik ten Hag’s transfer wish list, while the Red Devils “have also not ruled out another attempt to sign” Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham as the Dutch manager looks to bolster his midfield department with a dynamic midfielder, with the January transfer window fastly approaching its conclusion.
The Red Devils were heavily interested in landing the Netherlands international from the Blaugrana last summer, and they even agreed on a transfer fee for him in the region of €85 million. However, De Jong remained at Barcelona during the transfer window, saying he never wanted to leave the Spanish giants. Aside from that, there was this infamous deferred wage issue.
This saw United turn their attention towards signing Casemiro from Real Madrid, with the Brazilian maestro having a transformative impact on the club’s fortunes this season. However, the Brazilian will be 31 years old soon, while Christian Eriksen is also well into his thirties, so the addition of another top-quality playmaker in the mould of the Dane is an absolute must for United.
And it looks like Ten Hag has made up his mind on who he wants to sign, with MEN now reporting that the Man Utd boss is still keen on pursuing De Jong’s services as the Dutch midfielder perfectly suits his style of play and won’t rule out the possibility of making another bid to bring him to Old Trafford.
There have been some reports suggesting that there is still a possibility that De Jong may leave Barcelona in the future and could be convinced to move to Old Trafford and reunite with his former Ajax manager, Ten Hag, if they qualify for the Champions League this season.
That aim looks increasingly likely following their recent resurgence under the new boss, who has transformed the ethos and standards around the club. De Jong has all of the attributes needed to succeed in the Premier League, and he would be the perfect signing to take Man United to the next level.
The Red Devils currently lack a ball carrier in the middle of the park, due to which they at times struggle to break down low defensive blocks. De Jong would give them a different dimension. The Dutchman is highly energetic, calm, and composed when on the ball and is a brilliant passer of the ball.
Like Eriksen, he has the quality needed to dictate the tempo of the game, but he can also dribble his way out of tight spaces and progress with the ball at his feet.
Luring De Jong to Old Trafford would seem like a massive achievement for Manchester United after the saga last summer. Signing the 25-year-old would be another huge statement of intent following the acquisition of Casemiro last August.
Whether Barca boss Xavi would be happy to let him go is another story, however. The report has also namechecked Jude Bellingham as a potential target, although both look unlikely for the time being. The Red Devils would be wise to revisit their interest in the long-standing duo next summer.