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FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who was a long-time transfer target of Manchester United, has hinted at the possibility that he is open to departing his current club at some point in the future.
Man United first decided to pursue the Dutch centre-mid last summer, when manager Erik ten Hag arrived at Carrington.
While listed as Ten Hag’s number one transfer target, United were unable to cement a deal, instead opting to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid instead.
The breakdown in negotiations came largely as a result of Barcelona’s wage issues, which would bump up De Jong’s price tag, as well as the player’s desire to continue playing football at the Spotify Camp Nou.
De Jong responded to the reports linking him to United, insisting that while it is impossible to know what the future holds, he remains happy at the Catalan club.
• You won’t go to Manchester United right?
Frenkie: “No, I don’t think so. You never know of course. But I’m very happy in Barcelona.” pic.twitter.com/mxRdzjlFc4
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) March 19, 2023
This past summer, United yet again attempted to sign the Dutch playmaker, with The Peoples Person reporting that sources at Camp Nou claimed that United yet again enquired about the 26 year old.
Allegedly, this time around, United would be prepared to pay a fee that would allow Barcelona to largely recoup the €85 million they paid to lure him to the club from Ajax.
Yet again, no such deal materialised, frustrating the United fanbase yet again.
On New Year’s Day, De Jong was asked directly in a video interview with Dutch news channel NOS about whether he could depart Barcelona for a team in another league in the future.
“Possibly. But I’m very satisfied at Barca,” De Jong answered before adding: “It’s always difficult to say. For now, I feel good here.”
Although the Dutch midfielder has had difficulty fully committing himself to a future in Spain, United would probably be better off abandoning any pursuit of De Jong when considering the time and effort that has so far been wasted in an effort to muster together a deal.
Even if De Jong expressed enthusiasm to play for United, the club appears to be in no such financial position to pay the exorbitant fee that one such player commands.
With INEOS unlikely to be able to inject cash for transfers just yet following their 25% acquisition of the club, not much is expected for United this January in terms of transfer activity.
Should the club have the finances available for some market activity in January, there are more pressing transfers that may be needed.
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