Man United and Barca keen to complete Frenkie de Jong deal but Dutchman not ready to leave

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez took to the microphone on the Camp Nou pitch before the annual pre-season curtain raiser, the Gamper, on Sunday night.

“We're starting a very exciting year,” said the Catalan. “We want to win titles this season to make the Culers happy.” A huge crowd of over 83,000 fans roared in approval on a hot August night. Behind him, his players smiled, limbered up or put their arms behind their backs. Except one, Frenkie de Jong, who stood with his arms crossed and his cheeks puffed out.

Xavi is going to play a big part in the Dutchman’s career this month. Barcelona, who have not yet been able to register several of their summer signings with La Liga, want to sell De Jong because they need the money.

Spanish clubs are subject to the strictest Financial Fair Play Rules in European football and given the history of Spanish clubs and finances that’s a positive, but Barcelona and Real Madrid almost always find a way to get what they want.

Barcelona can help themselves by cashing in on the one player who will bring the most money in, the 25-year-old midfielder with whom they have a deal in principle to sell to Manchester United. The player has not agreed to this.

De Jong started on the bench in the Joan Gamper Trophy pre-season clash against Mexican side Pumas, with Xavi going for Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Pedri in midfield.

The National understands that those three Spaniards are his preferred choices, the ones he intends to start when their season opens on Saturday at Camp Nou against Rayo Vallecano.

Xavi, who prefers these midfielders as positional players, not runners as he sees De Jong, has also been impressed by new midfield signing Kessie who came from AC Milan. De Jong is used to being a