Frenkie de Jong opens up on Manchester United transfer saga and speaks out on his Barcelona future
Frenkie de Jong talks about Manchester United’s transfer saga last summer and speaks out about his future at Barcelona amid continued interest in Old Trafford
Frenkie de Jong appears to have downplayed claims he could move to Manchester United this summer, with the midfielder suggesting his immediate future “stays with Barcelona”.
The 26-year-old has been high on Erik ten Hag’s list of players for a while. According to Mail Sport, United had made a £70 million offer for him last June and the deal was almost 90 per cent complete.
Despite sending club representatives to Spain, United failed to formalize a deal, with De Jong admitting he wanted to stay with LaLiga.
But that hasn’t stopped United from showing interest in the Barca midfielder again, with De Jong also reportedly telling Ten Hag he wanted to join the club.
But in one fell swoop for United, it appears he has once again reversed his earlier sentiments and admitted that he ‘feels good at Barcelona’.
Frenki de Jong claims he ‘assumes’ he will ‘stay at Barcelona next season’ amid interest from Man United
The Dutch midfielder has been a target of Erik ten Hag (pictured) for some time after United tried to sign him last summer
‘That has become clear to me, also last summer when things were restless for a while,’ he continued when asked Football International whether he would stay with the LaLiga champions beyond this summer.
“I always knew I wanted to stay at Barcelona,” he added. “That’s why last summer wasn’t so stressful for me.
“Besides, I had just signed a contract extension [in 2020] so I always felt like I was in control and could decide for myself.
“That’s why I didn’t bother [worrying about it]. I feel good at Barcelona and I expect to play here next season.’
De Jong played a vital role in Barcelona’s title-winning campaign, making 33 appearances in LaLiga this season, scoring twice.
Having joined the club in 2019, De Jong’s contract expires in 2026, and the midfielder is now expected to step up to fill the role left behind by the departure of Sergio Busquets.
“It will be different next season when Busquets is gone,” he said of the departing club legend. “He played for Barcelona for 15 years, you notice that when such a great player leaves.
It now looks like De Jong (right) will stay with the LaLiga champions, with the midfielder already establishing himself as a crucial cog in Xavi’s (centre) starting XI
He may also be needed for the club to take over part of the mantle left by outgoing midfielder Sergio Busquets (pictured)
And after much speculation last season, De Jong interestingly admitted that ‘he knew he always wanted to stay at Barcelona’ amid the Man United transfer rumours.
“I really enjoyed playing with him, especially when we were next to each other. We complemented each other very well and I learned a lot from him, even though we are different types of players.’
But there are still questions about his future at the club, with reports last month suggesting that Barcelona could ask the midfielder for a pay cut amid the club’s financial woes.
Man United, meanwhile, are reportedly about to announce their new owners, with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani sitting at the wheel to be announced as the club’s new owner.
The takeover could seriously affect how much Ten Hag can spend this summer, as United look at moves for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and Brentford’s David Raya.
