Frenkie de Jong ’s potential switch to Manchester United has been one of the most stereotypical ‘will he? won’t he?’ transfer sagas of the entire window so far.
The Barcelona star has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford practically since Erik ten Hag was announced as the Red Devils’ new boss. Of course, he would prove to be an excellent addition to the heart of the Man Utd midfield having displayed his abilities with Ajax and at the Camp Nou.
Negotiations have been taking place between the two clubs for some time, with various rumours speculating over whether the Dutchman will become Man Utd’s first signing of the summer.
With that being said , Mirror Sport is on hand to bring you the truth on the talks and the latest on De Jong’s potential switch to Old Trafford.
What is the state of play?
Since Ten Hag was appointed, he identified De Jong as the man to add some much-needed creativity to the heart of the Red Devils’ midfield with the likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata having all departed Old Trafford at the end of the 2021/22 season.
As it stands, a switch to Manchester United for the Dutchman is not expected to be completed imminently with talks still on-going. However, the Red Devils have made a breakthrough in discussions over recent days.
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Where have negotiations reached?
In what is a huge boost to their hopes of signing the midfielder, the Red Devils have agreed a price for the former Ajax star. Man Utd will reportedly have to pay up to £70m for De Jong this summer, although that price will not all be paid in the current window.
Mirror Football understands the Red Devils will pay £56m up-front, with a number of add-ons contributing to the final fee.
What is the hold-up?
As most will have guessed, there have been a number of hurdles for Ten Hag to overcome in an attempt to be reunited with his former player. First, was of course the agreement with Barcelona.
It was originally suggested that the Catalan giants were keen to recoup the majority of their huge outlay that took De Jong to the Camp Nou back in 2019. United even had a bid turned down, with Barcelona remaining firm over their demands. With the two clubs having now come to an agreement, there was a further problem.
Reports from Spain suggested that the midfielder was not overly keen on a switch to Old Trafford having previously highlighted his move to Barcelona as a ‘dream’. In the meantime, United themselves were not in a position to really tempt De Jong into changing his mind.
The Red Devils endured a torrid season last term having finished sixth in the Premier League and missed out on Champions League football, a competition that the midfielder could play in next term should he decide to stay with Barcelona.
What are De Jong’s thoughts now?
Despite that initial hesitancy over a switch this summer, it now appears that De Jong is not totally set on staying in Spain after all. According to The Guardian, the Dutchman is now ‘open’ to moving to Manchester in what would be a fresh link-up with Ten Hag.
It remains to be seen where that moves negotiations on over the next few days but it is certainly a positive sign for the Red Devils as they attempt to seal a deal for De Jong. The conflicting reports certainly seem to suggest De Jong is, at the very least, torn, and is not closing the door to a Manchester United move.
What comes next?
Of course, there is still plenty of work to do to rubber-stamp the Dutchman’s switch to Old Trafford. He - alongside his representatives - will negotiate with the Red Devils regarding his contract and wages, leaving just a medical and an official announcement as the final pieces of the jigsaw.
Mirror Football understands De Jong is likely to earn around £250,000-a-week and join United on a five-year deal if he does agree to join Ten Hag.
Once his move is confirmed, United are not expected to let-up in the current window. Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia looks likely to follow his compatriot to the club in the coming days.
Further players have been linked with a move including Ajax winger Antony, whilst Christian Eriksen has been offered a deal at Old Trafford. It remains to be seen whether the pair will be Man Utd players after deadline day.
