Manchester United’s summer has been dominated by two very different transfer stories, one of a player who reportedly doesn’t want to come to the club, and another of a player who is desperate to leave.
On the surface of it, that’s a double snub for the Red Devils, but in truth the Frenkie de Jong and Cristiano Ronaldo transfer sagas seem to be more about money than about football.
Whether or not De Jong finally does make the move from Barcelona, there is no way that the Spanish press are right about his reasons for hesitation. They say he just doesn’t want to play at United, that he sees a club in turmoil; they insist it is a football decision.
They say his agent Ali Dursun has begged United to stop pestering him, they even say he was considering sacking Dursun for pressuring him to accept the move.
But even United’s negotiators would not be so stupid as to waste a whole summer just hoping that such a recalcitrant player would do a u-turn.
The fact is that Barcelona owe the player €17 million and he will not leave until it is paid.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo is begging United to release him from his contract so that he can play Champions League football, but Richard Arnold and co. are adamant that he is not for sale.
Yet from a football point of view, everything that we have seen since Erik ten Hag began his reign as United boss tells us that the striker would struggle to fit into a Ten Hag system.
Ten Hag is building a future and no matter what is said publicly, building a team around a 37 year old and his ego is not a step in that direction.
United’s stance is almost certainly, again, about money.
If they do not release the galactico from his contract, he will have to buy himself out if he wants to leave – and with a year left on that deal, if the contract terms are like-for-like (value paid to value earned) that would cost him around £25 million just based on the wages United would have paid.
There are no doubt other commercial elements to the contract, in terms of sponsorship etc, that involve even higher amounts and which United would be left holding the bill for if their megastar were to leave.
And why should United be out of pocket? Why shouldn’t they and De Jong be paid what they are owed?
While both sagas rumble on, the Red Devils have to suck up the public humiliation of looking like the club nobody wants to play for.
But they are absolutely right, in both cases, to be standing firm. It’s all about the cha-ching, cha-ching.
United Matchday Magazine – The Online Football Programme
Simeone and Atletico. It’s personal. Everyone’s buzzing. Get ready for the game with the United Matchday Mag.
- Online football content like you’ve never seen before
- Part programme, part fanzine, the mag gives you all the news, facts and features you NEED before every game
- Instantly delivered to your device with easy and secure online ordering
- Click Preview to see more or buy now for just £1.25/$1.50
- SAVE 40% on a season pass: use discount code TENHAG40TREAT at checkout
