It’s the saga that has dominated much of Erik ten Hag’s early tenure at Manchester United, which has seen their window get off to a frustrating start.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was quickly identified as the man to build Ten Hag’s ambitious overhaul around, with the pair working to great effect at Ajax. But the LaLiga giants - despite their perilous financial position - have played hardball in negotiations, determined to get what they believe is the right remuneration for the player.
But after weeks of wrangling, an agreement is now set to be very close, with Sky Sports suggesting a “broad agreement” of around £56million-plus bonuses has now been reached. Talks between the two clubs will now move to the finer details, before switching to negotiating with the player himself.
