Man Utd could be 'keeping dialogue open' with £170k-a-week duo at Old Trafford

Manchester United may potentially turn to Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans or Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Rúben Neves if they are unable to secure the signing of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer, according to Dharmesh Sheth of Sky Sports.

Erik ten Hag’s side have reportedly agreed a package fee of around £72m with the Catalan giants for the transfer of the 25-year-old this summer, but the Red Devils are struggling to agree personal terms with de Jong.

It is reported that Barcelona are happy to let de Jong leave for Old Trafford this summer, but there are multiple obstacles affecting the deal, including the Dutchman’s unwillingness to leave the Nou Camp, as well as the fact the La Liga side owe the midfielder a reported £17m, after deferring his wages during the pandemic.

With the deal seemingly hanging in the balance, there are other Premier League midfield options out there for ten Hag, including both Tielemans and Neves, both of whom the club have been linked with this summer.

And Sheth hasn’t ruled out the possibility of United having the Premier League duo on standby should the move for de Jong fall through.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “If you look at Manchester United with all the issues that they’re having trying to get Frenkie de Jong, it wouldn’t surprise me if the likes of Youri Tielemans or Rúben Neves are just in the background.

“It wouldn’t shock me if they’re keeping an eye on and keeping communication and dialogue open with those clubs and their agents, just to say, ‘look, this is the situation that we’re in.’

“There’s a potential that a deal could be done, but if it doesn’t then Neves and Tielemans could be on the list.

“But that’s not because of any information that I’ve got, it’s just something