A fresh, and altogether significant update on Manchester United’s ongoing pursuit of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong has been provided on Friday.
Dutch international de Jong, of course, has been hotly tipped for a Camp Nou departure this summer.
Despite his unquestionable talents, and boss Xavi Hernandez’s persistent assurances that the former Ajax man remains central to his plans, the board in the Catalan capital are understood to be taking into serious consideration de Jong’s sale.
In turn, to this point, one club and one club only have been pushed in the media as the midfield maestro’s most likely landing spot – Manchester United.
Owing to the departures of all of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata, the Red Devils are expected to be in the market for fresh blood in the middle of the park throughout the upcoming summer.
And de Jong is one such player understood to sit towards the top of the wishlist at Old Trafford, where he would of course be in line for a reunion with former manager Erik ten Hag.
Frenkie de Jong and Erik ten Hag during the Florida Cup 2019 match between Ajax Amsterdam and Sao Paulo FC at Orlando City Stadium on January 12, 2019 in Orlando, United States(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Reports over the course of the last 48 hours, meanwhile, have pointed towards an acceleration on the part of the transfer team in Manchester, amid their ongoing push for the 25-year-old.
And now, as alluded to above, a fresh insight into the situation has been provided.
First, this afternoon, word was forthcoming that, finally, the transfer team at Old Trafford had opened formal talks with their Barcelona counterparts, over a deal for de Jong.
And since, an insight into the demands of the latter when it comes to the sale of their once so highly sought after Dutch international has too arrived.
The info comes by way of reliable Blaugrana journalists Samuel Marsden and Moises Llorens, who point towards demands of no less than €100 million being put to United during the latest round of negotiations.
There is understood to be leeway when it comes to precisely how this sum is broken down, with considerable add-ons likely to be required to take the total sum to the aforementioned 100 million.
Nevertheless, the transfer chiefs in Catalunya have made their stance clear, communicating to the Red Devils and any other clubs interested in the club’s assets this summer that their dire financial situation ‘does not mean they will allow players to leave for cheap’.
Barcelona will listen to offers worth €100 million for Frenkie de Jong after holding formal talks with Manchester United, sources close to the negotiations told @samuelmarsden and @moillorens 👀 pic.twitter.com/yvjh5cEFsl
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 10, 2022
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