Erik ten Hag could use Jurgen Klopp transfer ploy to bring Frenkie de Jong to Manchester United

Manchester United seem no closer to signing Frenkie de Jong than they did a month ago.

In fact, they seem further away given the emergence of the wages Barcelona still owe the midfielder. Erik ten Hag is still pressing ahead with the chase, eager to land his top target.

It’s clear he feels only De Jong can carry out the task he will set for his midfielders. Speaking to the media earlier this month, Ten Hag explained his transfer strategy.

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"We are looking for a player who can play in the holding midfield position, but it has to be the right one,” he said. “I will not react on a certain player. We need the right player. We will strike the moment the player is available."

So far, the club have only tried to strike for De Jong. With the likes of Declan Rice going nowhere and Kalvin Phillips joining Manchester City, he may feel there are few other options available.

In which case, he is right to press ahead with De Jong - after all, there’s no point getting a cut-price alternative who can’t give Ten Hag what he wants. But it may mean he will have to play the long game.

The Dutchman’s mission of a rebuild at United has been likened to the one Jurgen Klopp undertook at Liverpool in 2015. A major part of the German tactician's success at Anfield has been Virgil van Dijk.

Klopp's chase of the defender wasn’t an easy one. Southampton, as they were entitled to, played hard ball and Klopp had to wait until January to land his man - but he was willing to wait, and didn’t rush to find a make-do alternative.

Ten Hag may also feel it is worth waiting to land De Jong later down the line, and there obviously is potential for that to unfold given that United have