2 years ago
Frenkie de Jong controls his own destiny. Negotiations for his transfer between FC Barcelona and Manchester United are well advanced, but the player will have the last say on whether he stays or quits.
FC Barcelona is reportedly close to finalizing their first large sale in a long time, according to SPORT. Frenkie de Jong is on the verge of joining Manchester United for 80 million euros, after three seasons in which the Blaugrana have made few major transactions. The Red Devils want to conclude the transfer as quickly as possible, but the midfielder will make the ultimate decision.
The sale of De Jong provides financial respite for Barça, since it provides an influx of funds that will allow them to clear out their overburdened payroll and manage potential signings this summer. United, for one, is eager to please their new manager, Erik ten Hag, who sees Frenkie as an important element of the plan he plans to put in place at Old Trafford beginning in August.
The midfielder would thus be reunited with his former mentor at Ajax, the club that catapulted his professional career into Europe's upper echelon. In 2019, Barcelona paid 75 million euros to the Amsterdam club for his transfer, and after three seasons in which De Jong's performance improved, concluding his exit for 80 million euros is a decision that would, in theory, satisfy all parties.
However, the 25-year-old isn't certain that joining Manchester United is the best option right now. Beyond the presence of Ten, the Red Devils will not be playing in the Champions League in 2022-23 and are coming off one of their poorest seasons in recent memory.
United's goal is to bolster their team in order to compete against the Premier League's 'big three' (Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea) and win the Europa League, which they failed to win against Villarreal in 2021.
De Jong's performance against Belgium and his desire to remain in the team.
In the Netherlands' 4-1 triumph over Belgium in Brussels, De Jong was one of the standout performances. "I like to be the first player to receive the ball from the defenders," Frenkie said after the game about his position in the national team and at Barça. I play differently in the national team than I do at Barça. And I think this one is a better fit for me.' Despite this, the midfielder is still focused on keeping his place in the Blaugrana shirt.
De Jong stated in an interview with the 'NOS' channel that he is confident in his abilities "prefers to spend his time in Barcelona. It is, without a doubt, my ideal club. I've been doing it since I was a child. Even though I expected more titles than I have received so far, I have never regretted my decision "the Dutchman said Frenkie will continue to focus on his national team for the time being, while Barça and United continue to talk.
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