Man Utd learn Frenkie de Jong’s stance as Ten Hag gets tough with wantaway flops

Frenkie de Jong looks set to become the latest midfield star to snub a move to Manchester United – as incoming boss Erik ten Hag told the club's wantaway stars to pack their bags.

Ten Hag has targeted the Holland and Barcelona ace as he looks to strengthen his side ahead of next season. United bosses have sounded out de Jong about a possible £75m move to Old Trafford.

Ten Hag managed de Jong at Ajax and is a huge admirer of the 25-year-old. But de Jong is reluctant to join United due to them not being in the Champions League next season – and would prefer to remain at Barca instead.

Despite struggling to make a significant impact at the Nou Camp since joining Barca in 2019, de Jong believes he still has a big future with the Spanish giants and is keen to keep working under boss Xavi. The news is another massive blow to Ten Hag, who has hit a brick wall in his attempts to sign new midfielders. Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham have all been on Ten Hag's radar, but none of them are interested in going to Old Trafford.

Despite his difficulties at Barca, de Jong outlined his passion for the club in a recent interview when he said he would like to pledge his long term future to them if he could. He said: "I love being at Barcelona. I'd probably sign a six-year contract extension if they'd propose me one, yes."

Meanwhile, Ten Hag will get tough on those United stars who want to leave – and order them to be gone before the end of next month. The incoming United boss will inherit a broken dressing room when he takes charge of the fallen giants in June. He faces a huge task when it comes to rebuilding a team capable of challenging for the major trophies again.

Which United players should Ten Hag look to bin off? Let us know in the comments section

A host of big names are desperate to quit United this summer, including Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard, Eric Bailly and Juan Mata. Cristiano Ronaldo is also expected to leave, despite having the option of a 12-month contract extension, following a difficult campaign following his return from Juventus last summer.

He was hoping to help United win some silverware, but has seen them fail to even secure Champions League qualification and is now considering offers from rival clubs in Europe. But Ten Hag, who held a planning meeting in Amsterdam earlier this week, will waste no time when it comes to getting rid of those who are no longer committed to the club. The no-nonsense Dutchman has told CEO Richard Arnold he wants those who are not part of his future plans to be either sold or released before the end of June.

Ten Hag will lead is squad on a pre-season tour of Asia and Australia in early July ahead of the start of the new campaign. And he doesn't want to take any of those who want out on the trip and risk suffering from disharmony within the squad.

Source: Read Full Article