If Erik ten Hag were not the new Manchester United manager, there is no way a move for Frenkie de Jong would even be considered possible in the summer transfer window.
United have identified signing a new midfielder as their biggest priority this summer and, in an ideal world, two new recruits will arrive to offset those who will leave for free at the end of the month.
The greater need is for a defensive midfielder, but those plans might well need to be adjusted to pounce on the unexpected opportunity to sign De Jong this summer.
READ MORE: Where United stand on Frenkie de Jong and Darwin Nunez as transfer window opens
The Dutchman has already made it clear his preference was to remain at Barcelona ahead of the World Cup, but with the Catalan club in need of cash, he might slowly be coming to terms with the fact he is seen as dispensable by Xavi's side.
De Jong, 25, has been determined to prove his worth in La Liga and, despite a tricky three years at the club, he has never shown any indication that he wants to leave.
United remain in talks over a potential deal, but club sources have warned that United will only pursue a deal if it represents value for money for themselves, and they are not going to overpay for the player to help ease Barcelona's financial problems.
The transfer window has only been open a matter of hours and while some supporters online might be showing signs of impatience, the club don't want to rush any deals but are well aware that things could move quickly if a deal is agreed.
In order for that to happen, United will need to convince De Jong that a move to Old Trafford, and participation in the Europa League, is a worthwhile risk to take in order to keep his starting spot at international level ahead of the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.
The Dutchman will also need to be convinced of United's long-term plan under his former Ajax mentor, and have a strong belief that he can really be part of something special next season if he pursues the move.
De Jong will need plenty of assurances about how Erik ten Hag will build the team around him, but he is already well aware of how the new United manager will be able to handle himself in the Premier League.
“All of the technical staff [at Ajax] were really important,” De Jong told ESPN after moving to Barcelona back in 2019. “You can have quality players, but you need good tactics as well. I think it’s one of the most important things today in football and for me, we had amazing tactics.
“Every game I had the feeling: ‘OK we’re going to beat them because we’re going to do this, this and this and we have the quality players.’ So I think a big part of the success was also the technical staff.
"It’s not as simple as [saying]: ‘Go out and enjoy yourself!’ I think these days, in football, it’s really, really important that you have good tactics, that you know how an opponent is going to press, what you’re going to do against it and I think we were prepared on all those things, so the technical staff did an amazing job last year.”
Having confidence in Ten Hag and his backroom staff is a huge hurdle out of the way for De Jong in regards to a summer move, and he is well aware of the potential United have under the guidance of his old boss.
De Jong was named Champions League midfielder of the season in 2019, starring in wins over Real Madrid and Juventus on their path to the semi-finals, having experienced first-hand the tactical nous of Ten Hag against Europe's elite clubs.
There is still plenty of work to do if he is to become a United player this summer, but he won't need any convincing about Ten Hag's ability to get the best out of him.
