How Manchester United could line up next season after Frenkie de Jong reveals favourite position

Erik ten Hag’s plans for Manchester United next season may have become clearer after Frenkie de Jong revealed his preferred role.

United are interested in bringing De Jong to Old Trafford this summer, with Ten Hag having identified him as an ideal target. The pair know each other well from their time together at Ajax, so the new United boss should know how to get the best out of the 25-year-old.

To remove any doubt for Ten Hag, De Jong has outlined his favourite position while out on international duty. The midfielder has made it clear he prefers his role with the Netherlands as opposed to the position he’s asked to fill at Barcelona.

“I like to be the first player to receive the ball from the defenders. In the national team I play differently compared to Barca. And I think this one fits me better,” De Jong said.

Not only will De Jong’s comments give United hope of luring him away from the Nou Camp, they could also give a good indication of how United will line up under Ten Hag next season. MEN Sport have taken a look at how United could line up following De Jong’s admission.

Not much doubt here. Ten Hag is a fan of Dean Henderson, but with United looking to secure a move away on loan for the goalkeeper, David de Gea should retain his No.1 spot.

United have made Jurrien Timber their defensive priority this summer, and unlike De Jong, he hasn’t been quite as vocal about wanting to stay at his current club. The Ajax defender can play either centre-back or right-back, so it’s a bit of a toss-up as to where he could feature in United’s side should he make the move.

For now, we’ve placed him alongside Raphael Varane at the heart of the defence, although he could just as easily replace Diogo Dalot with Harry Maguire