Manchester United are continuing with their pursuit of Frenkie de Jong as their back-up targets are not deemed to be at the same level as the Barcelona midfielder.
Well-placed sources privy to discussions have stressed United are determined to back manager Erik ten Hag, who identified De Jong as the potential fulcrum of the team several months ago.
Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans is admired by United and has entered the last year of his contract but is a markedly different midfielder to De Jong, whose skill set for a midfielder is unique.
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After United's friendly defeat to Atletico Madrid in Oslo, a supporter shouted "get Frenkie" as football director John Murtough exited the Ullevaal Stadium and Murtough smiled.
United agreed a fee with Barcelona for De Jong last month and are reluctant to walk away as they are emboldened by Ten Hag's rapport with the player, whom he coached for 18 months at Ajax. United are approaching the 13th week of discussions in their quest to sign De Jong.
Barcelona want to sell De Jong, 25, to meet La Liga's strict salary cap rules as they are unable to register any of their summer signings to play in domestic fixtures. Barca have signed Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde despite debts of £1billion.
De Jong is owed €17m over a wage deferral he agreed to in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and United sources insist that has been the fundamental issue in the last three weeks.
The situation is further complicated by De Jong's preference to stay at Barcelona. Multiple sources in Spain have reiterated he is reluctant to join United.
United have attributed De Jong's public attachment to Barcelona as tantamount to a contractual obligation, particularly as he is due unpaid wages.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has maintained De Jong is "not for sale", rhetoric that has been dismissed by United as face-saving. Barca have further undermined De Jong by playing him at centre-back during pre-season whilst recruiting new centre halves in Christensen and Kounde.
De Jong played in midfield against New York Red Bulls in his only start across Barcelona's four-game tour of the United States on Saturday but was substituted at half-time.
Barca returned to Spain on Sunday and start their La Liga season against Rayo Vallecano on August 13.
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