Manchester United transfer chiefs have reportedly flown out to Barcelona to complete the transfer of Frenkie de Jong after the Catalan club scheduled a meeting to speed up a sale.
De Jong has been the subject of a fresh approach from United after boss Erik ten Hag urged the club to remain patient on a deal that has been in negotiations for over 16 weeks. As Mirror Football exclusively reported, the Red Devils' signing of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, which was confirmed on Friday evening, has not ended the pursuit of De Jong.
United CEO Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough left Barcelona late last month after several days of trying to clinch a deal to sign the Barca midfielder. The pair had jetted to the Catalan capital several days earlier and despite reaching an agreement with the club, did not formalise the deal, but there is hope that can now be revived with a fresh visit.
Barca have still not registered their new signing Jules Kounde, who could leave the club if the registration is not completed by the end of the summer window. The Blaugrana can now only register new signings by clearing their wage bill but this has proven to be significantly more difficult than they had initially hoped.
The club need to seal the exits of Samuel Umtiti, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite and Sergino Dest – but so far those outgoings are not materialising. De Jong's representatives Ali Dursun and Hasan Centikaya are due to meet Barca this week as the club re-issue their ultimatum of the midfield halving his wages or leaving the club immediately.
Barca have already demanded of De Jong that he reduce his salary by half or leave the club which has not yet been met – with the treatment of him being slammed as like the "mafia" by former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart. Ex-Barca striker Gary Lineker has criticised the Blaugrana for treating the midfielder "like a piece of meat".
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De Jong is owed a whopping €17million in amortizations and back payments from the club and his future is unlikely to be resolved until that amount is settled one way or the other. Barca's financial situation will become significantly more complicated than they had hoped if his contract does not change.
Sport has amplified reports that originated from De Telegraaf that United's transfer chiefs are now back in the Catalan capital in a last attempt to finalise a deal for De Jong. Last week, they were in Madrid to kickstart the negotiations that brought about a move for Casemiro.
United are hopeful of at least two more additions in the closing weeks of the summer transfer window. A £67million offer has been lodged for Ajax forward Antony, although this has been knocked back by the Dutch giants. PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo is an attacking alternative.
The club are also hopeful of signing a new goalkeeper to provide competition to the out-of-form David De Gea while they are also hopeful of adding a new right-back, although that is tied into the future of Aaron Wan-Bissaka – who may complete a return to Crystal Palace this summer.
