100 Days of Frenkie sounds like an underwhelming prequel to the quirky 2009 film (500) Days of Summer. Plenty happened during Tom's courtship of Summer.
Next to nothing occurred with Manchester United's fixation on Frenkie. United's plot was far more predictable. If we are to go through it chronologically: the new manager is appointed, senses his old talisman is attainable, is blindly backed in the pursuit, a fee is agreed, a ballpark salary is settled on, they hold out for the target throughout pre-season, the competitive season starts and they are humiliatingly, humblingly denuded by teams home and away.
In effectively abandoning the summer pursuit of De Jong, Erik ten Hag has secured a target who should ensure he lasts beyond autumn.
On the 100th day since United first moved for De Jong, they announced an agreement to sign the defensive midfielder Casemiro. Also read: Two 'keepers could leave on loan "I think we had a good basic pre-season," Ten Hag said at Carrington on Friday. "But then our nine, (Anthony) Martial injured, (Cristiano) Ronny not fit, the six holding midfield position is not there, the first game we had two centre halves who have not played together and also the goalie was not in the best period." Ten Hag tried to make a 6 out of Fred and then Christian Eriksen and United were at sixes and sevens against two clubs promoted to the Premier League in the last six years.