Frenkie de Jong is said to have ‘aroused resentment’ at Barcelona after turning down a move to Man Utd in the summer.
The saga that could have seen De Jong swap Camp Nou for Old Trafford was a long one. United’s interest in the midfielder was well reported for months.
It started way before the summer window in 2022, and was a big story during that window.
Whether or not United would be able to snare De Jong was a big question on a lot of lips. With Barcelona’s financial troubles well reported at that time, shipping the Dutchman out would not have been a bad thing for them.
However, United were never able to come to an agreement regarding the signing of De Jong.
The midfielder seemingly did not want to leave Barcelona, and was adamant he would not go to United. He revealed in September that he “always wanted” to remain with his current club.
Since that time, reports of United’s interest in the midfielder have continued.
United’s persistent efforts might just have paid off, too.
De Jong angers Barca as he ‘wants’ move
A report from a Spanish outlet has reported that De Jong now ‘wants’ to sign for United. The report states he has had a ‘conversation’ with Erik ten Hag, when he stated he is in favour of the switch.
His decision, after he was stern in that he wanted to remain with the La Liga side, has not gone down well. The Dutchman has reportedly ‘aroused anger’ at Barcelona for changing his mind.
Indeed, the European giants could have benefitted from selling the star. He cost them north of £75million, and with a contract running until 2026, they could have demanded a big fee.
That would have gone a long way to boosting their finances.
Ten Hag acting fast to secure signing
De Jong’s favoured course of action is set to throw things up in the air. While previously, Barca might have welcomed his exit, Joan Laporta revealed recently he “never” wants De Jong to leave.
Whether or not his own objective changes that remains to be seen. However, for United, it seems this development has served as a green light.
Ten Hag reportedly ‘let his bosses know’ after speaking to De Jong. Now, the report suggests United are ‘already working on’ sending Barcelona an offer.
They will hope the outcome of that offer is a positive one, given how long they have been keen on De Jong.
While a sale might be good for Barca in some aspects, it is not hard to see why might be angered by how it could come about.
