Manchester United have reportedly submitted their first offer for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
One of the reasons De Jong isn’t so keen on joining Manchester United is because he wants to play in the Champions League. United are in the Europa League and given the stiff competition in the Premier League, they cannot guarantee they’ll be in the Champions League the season after that.
Erik ten Hag has taken over as the new Manchester United manager and wants De Jong to spearhead his new project. He managed De Jong when they were both at Ajax. The ball is now in Barcelona’s court as they have to decide whether or not to accept United’s proposal. Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has repeatedly praised De Jong and wants him to stay. At the same time, however, he is well aware of the club’s financial difficulties. A situation Manchester United will look to use to their advantage.