Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has no desire to leave Nou Camp and join Manchester United, as per Sport
De Jong joined the Blaugrana back in 2019 for a reported fee of €86million. Despite being tipped to take over as the new orchestrator of the Barca midfield, De Jong struggled for consistency at the club. The club reportedly want to cash in on him this summer to build a new squad and balance the books at Barca.
The Dutchman is still only 25 years old and is hence considered a prime selling asset by the club. According to a report by Sport, the Nou Camp side need the money from De Jong's sale to improve the squad and manage their finances.
Manchester United appear to be the only team who are interested in his services. New boss Erik ten Hag has worked with the Dutch midfielder before, during their time together at Ajax. He reportedly now wishes for the player to join him on his venture at Manchester United.
Even if the two parties agree on a transfer fee, the move could fall apart based on De Jong’s stance alone, who is not interested in leaving Camp Nou this summer. De Jong is committed to remaining at his dream club and has reportedly communicated the same to both Barca and United.
The 25-year-old is also believed to be doubting his agent Ali Dursun, who has been urging him to move to Old Trafford ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. The former Ajax man is less than thrilled at being pushed to leave the club but has shown no signs of giving in to the pressure thus far.
Manchester United target De Jong’s salary also an issue for Barcelona
Frenkie de Jong’s move to Old Trafford could improve Barca’s financial health in two ways. The first, of course, is the transfer fee, which would allow the Catalans to register players they have already signed and bring in new ones. The second is De Jong’s salary, which is set to “skyrocket” from his fourth year at the club.
Signed ahead of the 2019-20 season, the central midfielder is set to enter his fourth year in August itself. Barcelona wish to decrease their wage bill, meaning they cannot possibly afford to pay the midfielder’s improved salary.
It is believed that irrespective of the offer Manchester United made for De Jong, they would still have a hard time holding a candle to his agreed-upon fourth-year salary at Nou Camp.