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Manchester United are reportedly keen on sealing a deal for long-term target Frenkie de Jong on a free transfer.
The Red Devils infamously had a bid accepted for De Jong in 2022 but the Dutch international refused to swap the Camp Nou for Old Trafford.
Under Erik ten Hag, De Jong always remained an option that the club would consider signing but a move never came into fruition.
Since, De Jong has had major injury issues and he has struggled to become a regular member of Barcelona’s first team.
He still remains on a huge salary, which is incredibly problematic for the Spanish club’s wage structure and ability to sign new players, such as Marcus Rashford.
Spanish media claim that United might just look to take advantage of this situation and seal a deal for the Dutch star next year on a free transfer.
“Joan Laporta and Deco have decided that the best thing for everyone is for the former Ajax Amsterdam and Willem II player to leave Camp Nou soon, as he is not part of Hans-Dieter Flick’s plans and has a clearly secondary role.”
The problem is that they cannot ask for much money as his deal runs out in 2026 and they would have to settle at €45 million at most.
In an ideal world for the Catalans, they would get De Jong to sign a new deal and then aim to sell him for an elevated price but, “De Jong doesn’t want to sign anything, and his strategy is to wait for his contract to expire, so he can leave with a free transfer under his arm and sign a really lucrative contract elsewhere.”
This is where United come into the story with Ruben Amorim reportedly also a fan of the player and believes he could be a “very useful reinforcement” to the club’s midfield.
The reports claim the Red Devils “have already contacted Frenkie’s agent to ask him to reject all the proposals that Laporta and Deco present to him and leave Barça completely for free.”
United have also reportedly offered a lucrative €15 million as a signing on bonus should he join on a free transfer in 2026.
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