Frenkie de Jong: Manchester United contacted Barcelona over midfielder
Key takeaways:
- This week, De Jong made his 42nd international game for the Netherlands against Wales.
- Manchester United has reached Barcelona over the availability of Frenkie de Jong.
The Netherlands midfielder played for new United boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax and is considered the perfect fit for his intended system at Old Trafford.
No official offer has been made yet, and United sources are stubborn they will not overpay for the 25-year-old.
De Jong reached the Champions League semi-finals with Ajax in 2019 before signing for Barca on a five-year agreement.
Barca decided to a £65m deal for De Jong in January 2019, and after joining the Spanish giants that summer, he has netted 13 goals from 140 appearances, helping them succeed in the Copa del Rey in 2021.
He made 46 appearances prior season, scoring four goals and claiming five assists.
Central midfield has been dedicated as the most critical area for maintaining at Old Trafford this summer.
The departures of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, and Juan Mata mean United is short of numbers in that unit.
And it has been evident for some time the club does not have the personnel to contend in that department with Manchester City and Liverpool.
It is not yet known how excited De Jong is to make a move, given United failed to qualify for next season's Champions League.