Man Utd believe they will sign Frenkie de Jong next week as Chelsea end interest

Manchester United are confident they can wrap up a deal to sign Frenkie de Jong next week with Chelsea cooling their interest in the Barcelona star.

Erik ten Hag has viewed the Netherlands international as his top transfer target throughout the summer but the Manchester club have so far been unable to strike a deal to bring him to Old Trafford.

United have begun looking at alternative options, having opened talks to sign Adrien Rabiot from Juventus with Sergej Milinković-Savić of Lazio also of interest.

But they have not given up on a deal for de Jong just yet with de Telegraaf United will launch a final offensive to sign the 25-year-old in the coming week.

United believe an agreement with de Jong is still a strong possibility and feel there has never been a stage when the player has outright rejected their advances. And their hopes will be boosted by suggestions that Chelsea are ready to end their interest in the former Ajax starlet.

The Blues had hoped the incentive of Champions League football this season would convince de Jong to opt for a move to Stamford Bridge.

However, Sport report Chelsea are now setting aside their interest in the midfielder with Thomas Tuchel eager for the club to sign a centre forward – with de Jong’s teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on their radar.

Barcelona remain locked in a stand-off with de Jong having asked him to reduce his salary by almost 50 per cent if he wants to remain at the club. The player’s agent is now refusing to discuss that possibility, according to the report, a move that has left Barcelona ‘outraged’.

De Jong’s preference throughout the summer has been to remain at the Camp Nou but he is now finding himself under increasing pressure to move on.

Sport add Barcelona are now confident de Jong will ‘succumb to the money and affection of United’ before the month is out.

Head coach Xavi addressed the futures of both Aubameyang and de Jong during a press conference on Friday, suggesting both players could leave in the coming weeks.

‘I am counting on him. I’m really delighted with him, he can help us,’ Xavi said of Aubameyang, speaking at a press conference on Friday.

‘Those I am not counting on already know, they know won’t play. Between now and 31 August, different things can happen, but I like Auba, he can help us.’

On de Jong, Xavi added: ‘It is the same as Auba, he is important for me. He’s in the squad and we will use him. I don’t know what will happen between now and 31 August, but not just with Frenkie or with Auba, with almost everyone in the squad.’

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