It seems as though Manchester United are still no closer to landing their primary transfer target, Frenkie de Jong.
A fee has already been agreed for the Barcelona midfielder, who made a name for himself under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, but securing personal terms has proved to be a major stumbling block.
Recent reports suggest he would prefer a move elsewhere over United which meant the Reds might have to consider pursuing alternative targets. One of those alternative targets is thought to be Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans.
The 25-year-old is considered one of the best midfielders currently in the Premier League and is a key player in Brendan Rodgers’ side.
However, he has just one-year left on his current contract, leaving Leicester in a difficult position. If they don’t sell him this summer, they're likely to see him leave for free in 12 months' time.
The club opened discussions about a new deal with Tielemans and his representatives early last year, but the midfielder has been reluctant to sign and he has not ruled out an exit this summer.
Both he and De Jong have the potential to be excellent additions to Ten Hag’s squad, but who’d be the better option for United to focus their attention on going forward?
Although both players are of a similar age, one obvious advantage Tielemans has over De Jong is his contract situation. It’s possible that United could land the Belgian international for somewhere between £20m-£30m, which would represent a steal for a proven Premier League star with his quality. The fee agreed for De Jong though was £65m, with a potential further £10m in add-ons.
In terms of profiles, both played slightly different roles for their teams last season. Tielemans tended to play on the right of a double pivot in a 4-2-3-1, while De Jong most often featured as a No.8 in a 4-3-3. In truth though, both are capable of playing either of those positions and have done in the past.
There wasn’t a huge difference between the two in terms of goal contributions last season, though Tielemans’ total of 12 did marginally better De Jong’s total of eight, despite the fact the Barcelona man tended to play higher up the pitch.
The Belgium international also bettered his counterpart in terms of shot-creating actions (84 to 73), according to FBref. These are one of the last two actions that led to a shot on goal, such as a pass, dribble or winning a foul.
De Jong does hold an advantage when it comes to his ability in possession, which shouldn’t come as a huge shock given the Dutchman is lauded for his ball-carrying capabilities. Last season compared to Tielemans, he averaged more progressive runs, dribbles and carries.
He could also better the Leicester man in terms of passing numbers, averaging more passes and with a better success rate, though these will be enhanced by playing within a possession-obsessed Barcelona side.
Tielemans does bite back though from a defensive point of view. He’s stronger, more physical and could boast better numbers in terms of tackles won and defensive pressures last season.
Team tactics and player roles can of course impact the above numbers, yet the same still throws up compelling cases for both players. Perhaps the key factor though could be the aforementioned differences in fees for both players.
Tielemans would cost substantially less than De Jong, and seems more open to a move to Old Trafford, which is something that in essence should make him the priority target of the two.
