Barcelona have Frenkie de Jong ‘expectancy’ as Manchester United fight to seal transfer

De Jong quizzed on Man Utd transfer links

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Barcelona are expecting Frenkie de Jong’s camp to understand their financial situation after giving the midfielder two options, it has been claimed. Manchester United are eager to land the Netherlands international this summer. However, a deal that would take the 25-year-old to the Premier League continues to hang in the balance.

Barcelona and Manchester United have agreed a fee for De Jong, with the Catalan giants ready to accept £63million to part ways with the player.

The midfielder was signed from Ajax back in the summer transfer window of 2019 but has often struggled for consistency, blowing hot and cold under the likes of Xavi, Ronald Koeman, Quique Setien and Ernesto Valverde.

With United now managed by Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils have been working on a deal for the player all summer.

And COPE journalist Helena Condis has claimed on Twitter that Barcelona have given the player two ultimatums.

It’s also claimed the La Liga side ‘expect’ De Jong’s camp to understand their situation, too.

“Barca has made it clear to him that he has 2 paths: accept the salary reduction or leave because his file is unsustainable,” she wrote.

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“They have offers from clubs. They expect their agent to understand. We already counted in @partidazocope that the Club has NOT ruled out his departure yet.”

De Jong, however, has no inclination to take a pay cut.

Barcelona actually owe the midfielder between £14m and £17m after he agreed to a temporary deduction in wages at the start of the coronavirus pandemic two years ago.

Yet while they’re reluctant to cough up the cash, they have been willing to spend big on players this summer.

Raphinha was recruited from Leeds, with the Brazil international turning down the advances of Arsenal and Chelsea in order to move to the Nou Camp.

And they also raided Bayern Munich for Robert Lewandowski, too, with the Poland international quitting the Allianz Arena after eight successful years.

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Barcelona have snapped up Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie on free transfers, too.

And they also need to re-register Ousmane Dembele and Sergi Roberto, who have both signed new contracts in Catalonia.

United remain confident they’ll acquire De Jong, despite the complexities involved and the midfielder’s reluctance to leave Barcelona.

So it’ll be fascinating to see what happens.

United’s pursuit of the player does, however, have unfortunate parallels with their failed chase of Cesc Fabregas back in the summer transfer window of 2013.

The Spain international was struggling for regular action at Barcelona and the Red Devils gave everything to try and snap him up, with Ed Woodward seeking his arrival.

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But when that didn’t happen, with Fabregas proceeding to stay at the Nou Camp, that left United in a state of panic.

They went on to land Marouane Fellaini from Everton, with the Belgium international moving on transfer deadline day.

Yet David Moyes was never able to recover, with the Scot losing his job just 10 months after being appointed as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor.

Meanwhile, United hero Gary Neville recently urged De Jong to consider legal advice after Barcelona asked him to reduce his salary.

“De Jong should consider legal action [against] Barcelona and all players should be behind him!” he said on Twitter.

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“A club spending fortunes on new players whilst not paying the ones they have under contract their full money is immoral and a breach. (World players’ union) FIFPRO should be all over bullying like this and stop it.”

But former Barcelona star Marc Crosas has now hit back, saying: “You have no idea what you [are] talking about.

“Barca spending fortunes on new players has nothing to do with salaries and salary cap.

“He has the right to leave, stay with the same contract, reduce it, or say NO to Man Utd. Maybe that’s what really hurts you and not Barca’s immorality.”

In a further tweet, Crosas added: “Nobody is ‘refusing to pay’. Barca is trying to renegotiate his contract the same way they did with Pique, Busquets, Ter Stegen, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto… Nobody complained at the time.”

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