De Jong ‘makes feelings clear’ on joining Man Utd due to Casemiro
Ten Hag hails depth of Man Utd squad amid quadruple push
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Manchester United are reportedly set to reignite their interest in Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong following their failed pursuit of the playmaker over the summer. The Dutchman dug his heels in at the Nou Camp before the start of the season, though he is said to have now had a change of heart.
United are thriving at the minute, with their late turnaround against West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round keeping the club’s slim chances of a quadruple alive. The Red Devils side are now one of the favourites to win that competition, as well as the Europa League.
Though Erik ten Hag has played down the prospect of winning all four trophies this season, especially given that his side are 11 points behind table toppers Arsenal – who already have Manchester City on their tails.
Though the Old Trafford outfit could be considered serious contenders for next season if they are able to bring in a fluttering of new signings to aid their progression. According to talkSPORT, the Red Devils are going to push to sign De Jong again over the summer, with Ten Hag desperate to reunite with the former Ajax star.
The 25-year-old refused to leave Barca previously but he is now ‘open’ to joining United as per the same report. De Jong is keen to play Champions League football so the club remaining in the top four will prove crucial in negotiations as it ‘excites him’.
The prospect of playing alongside Casemiro is also said to have been a factor in the player altering his outlook on a move to the Premier League. De Jong is ‘interested’ in lining up alongside the Brazil international next season, who has been one of United’s most influential players since his arrival from Real Madrid over the summer.
Barca were keen to offload De Jong previously due to their growing financial concerns, and their stance is not thought to have changed given the midfielder is reportedly one of the highest-paid players at the club and his sale would be a significant step in the right direction on their accounts.
Ten Hag was confident that the Netherlands international would change his transfer view recently after Barca were knocked out of the Europa League by his side across two legs (winning 4-3 on aggregate). The manager believed that the ‘feel-good factor’ would prove persuasive following the impressive atmosphere at Old Trafford when the two clubs clashed in the second leg.
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