According to rumours, Frenkie de Jong has agreed to join Manchester United from FC Barcelona.
The Dutchman, who was signed from Ajax for €75 million ($79.6 million) in 2019, has been the focus of transfer rumors since the end of last season.
Last weekend, SPORT reported that the Red Devils were "extremely close" to signing their target and expected a €80 million ($85 million) deal to be completed in a matter of days.
The following Friday in Catalonia, the same daily publication claims that De Jong has given his OK to the operation "after a few weeks of numerous uncertainties," while The Athletic in the United Kingdom adds that De Jong has privately admitted to being open to a move to United.
With De Jong reportedly demanding Champions League football, which United cannot now provide, the player and his entourage were reportedly waiting for offers from Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, or Manchester City. However, as these have yet to materialize, the 25-year-old is considering a move to Old Trafford.
According to The Athletic, United is reticent to pay €80 million ($85 million) for De Jong, believing the sum to be out of line with the current transfer market.
At the same time, Barca are adamant that the Netherlands playmaker will only leave their first team squad for the quoted fee, and that they will not accept cut-rates for someone they consider to be a "top-level" footballer. Barca are cash-strapped, with debts of around $1.5 billion.
United has made an offer of €60 million ($63.6 million) plus add-ons to Barcelona, but the Catalan club wants the entire €80 million ($85 million) so that they can pursue targets such as Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski during the summer transfer window.
De Jong had freely declared his intention to stay put, but according to SPORT, he is now irritated by his current employers proving that he is no longer untouchable and transportable.
At the very least, he would be a cornerstone of Manchester's new sporting vision, reunited with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, who has gotten the greatest club form out of the central midfielder during the 2018/2019 Champions League run to the semi-finals.
In any case, the Catalans want a prospective agreement completed by June 30, which means that every step of the process must be accelerated to meet the deadline.
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