Frenkie de Jong: Manchester United open talks to sign Barcelona midfielder

Manchester United have formally opened talks to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The Dutch international is the number one choice of United’s new manager Erik ten Hag who has prioritised a central midfielder as the first part of his re-build of the squad.

Ten Hag has identified United’s lack of a creative passer in midfield as a significant weakness and Barcelona, as they balance the books, are prepared to sell De Jong who he worked with at Ajax.

With Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic having both left United already this summer, at the end of their contracts, United are short of options in midfield. Ten Hag only has Scott McTominay, Fred and Donny van de Beek who, as things stand, will return from his loan spell at Everton.

Although Ten Hag accepts that the trio have their own qualities none of them offer the kind of midfield control that De Jong, currently on international duty, is capable of providing.

It had been thought that De Jong was reluctant to leave Barcelona, but the club’s desire to sell him – with a fee of £65 million, the same that the Spanish giants paid for him, being mooted – is likely to be decisive if United can strike a deal. Personal terms will not be a problem for the 25-year-old who would like to work again with Ten Hag. He was a key figure in Ajax’s run to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019 which helped him earn the move to Barcelona.

United are understood to have opened negotiations for De Jong with an initial offer to Barcelona who remain under severe pressure to stabilise their finances – debts are still placed at around €1 billion - despite the demands of coach Xavi Hernandez to improve his squad. Selling De Jong will release funds to improve other areas of the team.

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