Gary Neville says he has ‘third-hand info’ over Frenkie de Jong to Man Utd saga
Gary Neville has revealed his 'third-hand' information on Manchester United top transfer target Frenkie de Jong.
The Dutchman is Erik ten Hag's priority this summer and Barcelona are happy to sell having agreed a £65million fee with the Red Devils. However, the midfielder has reservations about moving to Old Trafford.
It has been a tough couple of years for United, who finished sixth last season with their worst-ever points tally in the Premier League. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then Ralf Rangnick oversaw a disastrous campaign and it has had an effect on the transfer market.
READ MORE: Win 2 tickets to watch England vs Germany in Nations League action at Wembley Stadium
Whereas before United might have expected players to be desperate to join them, they have found the reverse to be true this year after floundering in the league. That includes De Jong, who is not keen on leaving despite pressure from Barcelona.
And Red Devils legend Neville has waded in after revealing a bit of transfer information he has picked up on his travels. He tweeted: "I was in Miami when Barca were there playing two weeks ago and I got told ( third hand ) De Jong preferred staying at Barca or Chelsea and London. Wasn’t a concrete source but this follows that thought."
He was replying to a report from Sky Sports that indicated that Chelsea are looking to hijack a deal to sign De Jong. Indeed, the Blues can offer what the 25-year-old wants in Champions League football – something impossible at present at United.
If Chelsea do beat United to the signing of De Jong, that would be a catastrophe for Ten Hag – who has been desperate to be reunited with the player he helped develop at Ajax. With the new Premier League season set to start this weekend, there are still several areas of the squad that need bolstering at Old Trafford.
The ongoing saga surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo and whether or not the Portuguese superstar has also served as an unwanted distraction throughout the summer. Ten Hag would like the 37-year-old, who has one year left on his contract, to stick around.
The Red Devils have signed Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez this transfer window to mark Ten Hag's first summer in charge.
READ NEXT:
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko backed to quickly settle at 'institution' Arsenal
Ex-Arsenal head coach flop Unai Emery gives middle finger to ruthless fans trolling him
'Cold as ice' William Saliba's silky footwork delights Arsenal fans as he takes on trio
Source: Read Full Article