Joan Laporta says Barcelona have 'no intention' of selling De Jong

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed that the Catalan club have 'no intention' of selling Frenkie de Jong this summer. 

The Dutch central midfielder is Manchester United's primary target this summer as Erik ten Hag looks to sign the player he was so influential in nurturing during his time at Ajax. 

It was reported last week that the two clubs had reached a breakthrough in negotiations over De Jong moving to Manchester United, but Laporta appears to have rowed back on those developments by saying the club would like to hold onto him this summer. 

Speaking publicly over one of the highest profile sagas of this summer window, Laporta said there were various clubs who wanted him but that Barcelona would ideally hold onto the player they signed in 2019.

He said: 'There are clubs that want him, not just United. We have no intention of selling him, he wants to stay.

'Frenkie is considered as one of the best midfielders in the world by all the experts. We are happy to have him.'

Barcelona's financial plight means the club has to offload players this summer in order to bring players in and then register them in time for the season. 

They are currently unable to register Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie, signed on free transfers from Chelsea and AC Milan respectively, owing to a need for them to lower their wage bill. They are hamstrung by La Liga's one in four rule, meaning for every one million they spend they must save four million. 

Laporta's comments were qualified by an admission that it would not be easy to keep De Jong owing to the dire financial straits the club finds itself in. 

'I'm going to do everything I can in my power so that Frenkie stays here, but there’s also a salary issue and that would have to