Manchester United have been handed a double transfer boost as Barcelona have arranged a meeting with Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay over their futures.
It comes in the same week that De Jong slammed the Catalan club on social media over their treatment of him, with no dialogue between the two parties despite Barca striking a transfer agreement to sell him to Old Trafford this summer.
United have agreed an initial transfer fee for De Jong of £56.2million and the club will not give up on a deal despite the transfer saga now spanning more than two months. The English club are confident that the player is open to moving to Old Trafford – despite reports from the Spanish press – with the deal being held up due to outstanding payments owed to him.
Both Dutch internationals are set to leave the Camp Nou this summer for differing reasons; De Jong will command a sizable transfer fee and will save Barca significant money on wages while Memphis has fallen down the pecking order at the club.
Memphis – formerly of United – netted 13 goals during his debut campaign for the Catalan giants having signed as a free agent from Lyon a year ago. However, the club's signings of Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski this season will lessen his first-team opportunities, with Ansu Fati also returning from a long-term injury layoff.
Barca boss Xavi Hernandez is now due to chat with both players in personal meetings during their pre-season tour of the United States where he will inform them of the club's intentions to move them both on this summer, which will hasten their exits.
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As outlined by Diario Sport, Memphis does not command a big wage but Barca have an unbalanced squad and they do not want a player to occupy a place in it if he will not be guaranteed regular first-team minutes.
Reports have claimed that De Jong has already cleared out his locker at Barca with a move to Old Trafford appearing to be edging closer. New United boss Erik ten Hag coached De Jong at Ajax and held a phone call to convince the player that he should join his project at Old Trafford.
De Jong, 25, was informed that he would be the 'conductor of the orchestra' and would be an undisputed starter under Ten Hag – a similar role to the one he enjoyed so much in Amsterdam. United remain confident that he is open to a move to Old Trafford this summer.
United are in the market for a new forward following the exits of Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard this summer, while Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave United just one year after his return to Old Trafford. The return of Memphis – who would add to United's Dutch contingent – would be a move that suits both clubs.
