Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is closing in on a move to Manchester United with the Catalan giants eyeing up a swap deal.
Barcelona midfielder De Jong is a top transfer priority for Ten Hag with a phone call between the two already held in which the United boss outlined the role the player would enjoy under him at the Red Devils. Central midfield is an area in which United need to bolster their options ahead of several key departures this term. De Jong has been identified as the leading candidate for the club in the position and the Dutchman is at the top of United's shortlist of summer transfer targets.
The Red Devils are in the market to rejuvenate their midfield after the exits of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba at the end of their contracts, with Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard among the other departures. That leaves Scott McTominay, Fred and Donny van de Beek as the only natural central midfielders in Ten Hag's squad.
Barca have already partly compensated for De Jong's impending exit with the arrival of Franck Kessie from Milan – a deal which has not yet been made official but the Ivorian international will arrive at the Camp Nou as a free agent. That will complement the existing starters of Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Pedri in Xavi's squad.
The Blaugrana are also considering a raid on United's rivals Manchester City to land midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who Bild say is desperate to play for the Catalan giants. The German international is out of contract at City in the summer of 2023 and is said to have ruled out a contract extension at the Etihad, with his 'dream' to play for Barca.
Juventus are also said to be monitoring the situation of the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder but Barca are the most likely destination, as they are the club that the German international supported as a boy.
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Gundogan has been a key player for City since joining in the summer of 2016, the same year that Pep Guardiola arrived at the Etihad. He has netted 49 goals in that time period – including 27 across the past two seasons – and has won four Premier League titles at the club.
He's not the only City star of interest to Los Cules, with Bernardo Silva also understood to be a top target for Xavi Hernandez. If De Jong departs, then Xavi will make a push to land the Portuguese star - himself interested in a move to La Liga with the Catalan giants.
De Jong moved to Barca in the summer of 2019 for £63million (€75m). The Catalans are struggling financially and there were suggestions that they might welcome a hefty bid for some of their players, with the Dutchman top of the list due to the club's other options in the position.
And if he does depart, one way or another, the Etihad looks set to be their port of call for his replacement.
