"Would be excellent" - John Barnes says Manchester United should reunite Erik ten Hag with former player

Former Premier League star John Barnes feels Frenkie de Jong would be an excellent signing for Manchester United.

The Red Devils announced Erik ten Hag as their new permanent manager last week. The Dutchman will leave Ajax to take over from interim manager Ralf Rangnick at the end of the current season.

Having confirmed Ten Hag's arrival, Manchester United are expected to turn their attention towards strengthening their playing squad. With players like Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata set to leave, the Old Trafford outfit are likely to bring in a number of players in the summer.

The Red Devils have been linked with a host of players since they announced Ten Hag's imminent arrival. Among those associated with a move to Old Trafford is Barcelona midfielder De Jong, who worked under the 52-year-old tactician at Ajax.

Barnes is of the view that Manchester United should reunite Ten Hag with De Jong if it is within their abilities. The Englishman also stressed the need for the Red Devils to enable the incoming manager to do whatever he deems necessary. He told BonusCodeBets:

“If Erik Ten Hag wants Frenkie De Jong at Manchester United, then it would make sense to reunite him with his former player. Whoever Erik Ten Hag wants, you must give him them. He knows De Jong, likes him and he’s a very good player."

“When the manager comes to United, he needs to be able to do whatever he wants, and the club cannot dictate to him. If Ten Hag wants him and he’s available, within their budget, then it would be excellent for Man United.”

De Jong played a total of 59 games under Ten Hag during his time at Ajax. The Netherlands international found the back of the net three times and provided four assists during the process. De Jong was part of the Ajax team that reached the semi-finals of the 2018-19 Champions League. His impressive campaign prompted Barcelona to sign him for £65 million.

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Barcelona rule out selling Manchester United target De Jong

While the Red Devils are said to be interested in De Jong, it is worth noting that the midfielder has a contract with Barcelona until 2026. The Blaugrana could thus not be willing to part ways with the 24-year-old yet.

Barcelona manager Xavi recently ruled out the possibility of selling De Jong. The Spaniard wants the former Ajax star to mark an era at Camp Nou. He said:

“He [De Jong] is a very important player for me, for the club and for the team. Due to his quality and conditions, he should mark an era at the club."

“He is at a very good level since I arrived and he has to continue scoring goals, assisting, being the protagonist. He could be one of the best midfielders in the world. If it were up to me, he would continue here for many more years.”

It remains to be seen if the Red Devils can convince Barcelona to sell De Jong despite Xavi's comments.