Manchester United have been handed an enormous Frenkie de Jong boost, with Barcelona now informed they must sell the Dutchman, according to Colin Millar. The Red Devils have been chasing De Jong for some time now, but this is arguably the most significant step towards the deal’s completion that has been taken in weeks.
United have an agreement in place with Barcelona for the transfer of the “world-class” midfielder, but it remains to be seen whether he will choose to join them.
Manchester United and Chelsea Handed Huge Frenkie de Jong Boost
What’s Happened
According to Millar’s report, Barcelona are being forced to raise funds, and De Jong is their main opportunity to do so.
La Liga have rejected their attempts to register new signings Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie, Raphinha, and Andreas Christensen, as well as the contract renewals of Ousmane Dembele and Sergio Roberto, and the Catalan giants have just 8 days to raise funds before the start of the league season if they want to utilise these players.
Manchester United in Desperate Need of a Midfielder; Frenkie de Jong would Do the Trick
Manchester United need a new central midfielder, and there is no doubt about that.
Their current options in the middle of the park are Fred, Scott McTominay, Donny van de Beek, and James Garner, but each of these players is flawed.
Fred is arguably the best of this bunch. He has been promising in pre-season and appears to have the tenacity and skill to excel when paired with the right partner. He has proven a slight liability at times over the past couple of years, though, with certain mistakes when on the ball leaving many to question whether he has what it takes to succeed at Old Trafford.
Read More: Manchester United Looking to Offload 28-Year-Old ‘Beast’
McTominay came through the academy in Manchester, and while he has played very regularly for the Red Devils in recent seasons, he has not shown anything that has massively excited fans. Many want him to be replaced in the starting lineup, as while he has the aggression to be a fantastic central midfielder, he lacks the required technical prowess.
Van de Beek has been even less successful than the previously discussed duo since he moved to the Theatre of Dreams in 2020. He has seemingly struggled to adapt to the Premier League, and it remains to be seen whether his old boss Erik ten Hag can get the best out of him.
With no top-flight starts to his name, Garner is the least experienced of the bunch. This could, though, make him an exciting option, being a young star who has impressed time and time again in the Championship. It is as of yet unclear as to whether he will leave on another loan deal this summer, but that would likely only come if the Red Devils bring in another midfielder.
Read More: Every Premier League Transfer Completed in Summer 2022
