Erik ten Hag is frantically attempting to reunite with the former Ajax midfielder as Man United pursues De Jong.
The transfer story that seems to have no end is Manchester United’s pursuit of Frenkie de Jong.
Despite the fact that their efforts have so far been ineffective, United isn’t giving up. No matter how long it takes, Erik ten Hag’s preference will always be the first option at Old Trafford due to reservations about their backup plans.
Over the past few months, United has appeared to be in a position to ultimately close a deal several times, not the least of which was when they agreed on a price with Barcelona. Despite evidence to the contrary, the Nou Camp has responded with public declarations denying the midfielder is for sale.
Barca’s refusal to part ways with De Jong defies their precarious financial situation. Even though the Catalan club has £1 billion in debt, they have kept adding players all summer long, including Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Jules Kounde.
Barcelona are now unable to register any of their new additions to participate in domestic matches due to La Liga’s stringent salary ceiling regulations, which makes it more imperative for them to transfer De Jong. The fact that the Netherlands international is owed €17m in unpaid salary complicates the situation even further.
That, according to United insiders, is the main problem keeping them from finalizing a deal. But after Barcelona’s most recent effort to raise money, they might now have received assistance in their endeavor.
The La Liga juggernauts have disclosed the sale of 24.5% of Barca Studios to Socios.com for a sum of €100 million. The club claims that the deal will “accelerate the club’s audiovisual, blockchain, NFT and Web.3 strategy,” but it may also affect United’s pursuit of De Jong.
Barcelona may now have part of the money needed to cover De Jong’s unpaid salary, or at the very least, they may be getting closer to a situation where they may come to an agreement with the midfielder. They should let the 25-year-old go so they can register some of their new recruits for the upcoming campaign.
According to numerous reports in Spain, De Jong may still be hesitant to join United, but Barcelona’s interest in the midfielder may be waning as they look for other ways to raise money. Although it would be another step in the right path for United, this summer has shown that it is unwise to believe that a deal for De Jong is already sealed.
