Despite the impressive pre-season showings so far, Manchester United fans worldwide would like nothing more than to see Frenkie de Jong in the famous red shirt. The saga has now entered its 10th week and is showing no signs of abating.
Although United have agreed a fee with Barcelona, the move seems more and more unlikely as time goes on with the La Liga club yet to pay the Dutch international his deferred wages.
Recent reports from Spain indicate that the midfielder, who is currently part of Barca’s pre-season tour group, favours a move to Bayern Munich over the Red Devils.
According to Sport, the Dutch midfielder does not view the Premier League as an ideal destination. Even when he was leaving Ajax, he had offers from multiple English clubs but even then he turned them down.
Frenkie De Jong would consider a move to Bayern Munich this summer.
Via: (Sport) pic.twitter.com/1QsPQC0As7
— Bet9ja (@Bet9jaOfficial) July 19, 2022
Despite United officials feeling emboldened enough to keep their dialogue with the Catalan giants alive, the player himself sees the Bavarian giants as an ideal destination.
The reasons include the chance to win trophies, playing in the Champions League and being close to his homeland. Another reason mentioned in the report is the presence of Matthijs de Ligt, with whom Frenkie enjoys a great rapport having spent time together during their Ajax days.
Chelsea are still in the race but only a “sensational” offer will change the playmaker’s mind. But at the moment, that ideal remains far fetched.
FDJ reveals frustrations
The main problem with such a deal is the strained relation between Bayern and Barcelona. The Bundesliga champions feel aggrieved over the way the Spanish club dealt with the transfer of Robert Lewandowski.
Frenkie, for his part, is unwilling to sanction a move without receiving the £17 million that he is owed in deferred wages. And that is the main reason why the United transfer has not panned out.
The former Ajax midfielder has let his emotions get the better of him as he liked social media post wherein a user commented on how badly the Camp Nou outfit have treated him in recent months. The ‘Like’ has since been removed.
Frenkie de Jong a liké un commentaire démontrant sa déception quant à la gestion par le club de sa situation.
Depuis, il a retiré son like.🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/s3q5UrAbhg— Actualité – Barça (@ActualiteBarca) July 17, 2022
Erik ten Hag had from the start prioritised a move for his compatriot but even he is aware that the various complications might prevent the move from happening.
He mentioned in an interview recently that if he does not find the ideal candidate, he would train someone from the group to take up the mantle.
“We’re looking for a player who can play in the holding midfield position, but it has to be the right one. There are not many in that position capable of the level we demand. When we can’t find him, we have to deal with the players in our squad now and we will develop one in that position,” the boss was quoted as saying.
Considering the time United have spent in trying to get this deal over the line, if Frenkie chooses to stay back or go elsewhere it would represent a major failure on the club’s part. There were alternatives like Ruben Neves and Youri Tielemans but the manager did not give the board the green light on those.
It will be interesting to see if Ten Hag informs the board to move for another target or if he sticks to his guns and plays the same players. One thing is for certain, this saga is not ending anytime soon.
