Man Utd "exploring other options" to £63m star at Old Trafford | OneFootball

Manchester United are playing a waiting game in their pursuit of Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but are also “exploring other options”, according to Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports.

The Red Devils have been linked with the 25-year-old throughout the summer, whilst fellow Premier League side Chelsea have also been rumoured to be interested in a move for the midfielder.

What’s the latest on de Jong?

According to the Express, Erik ten Hag’s side have begun to look for different options to de Jong this summer, with Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz described as a “serious alternative.”

However, the same report also suggests that ten Hag and United will continue to prioritise a deal for de Jong, until a deal is dead in the water.

And Jacobs seems to agree with this point of view, suggesting that ten Hag’s side are waiting to see what happens with the 44-time Netherlands international at Barcelona.

What has Jacobs said about de Jong?

He told GIVEMESPORT: “So Barça are basically waiting for all the different components of incomings, of pay cuts, of other interests potentially for de Jong, on everything to come in, and then eventually, we’ll get told retrospectively that Barcelona had a clear strategy for de Jong, but they don’t at this point.

“Until Barcelona determine what they want to do definitively, then everybody else is just playing a waiting game.

“Anyone saying that he’ll definitely leave or definitely won’t leave is setting themselves up for a twist in the narrative.

“This is how Barcelona work.

“It’s dragged out already, and it will continue to drag out, and that’s why Manchester United are waiting, but also exploring other options.”

What will happen with de Jong?

It is almost impossible to predict where de Jong will be playing his football come the end of the summer transfer window, but it’s a situation that ten Hag will want clarity on, sooner rather than later.

It was reported in July, that United and Barcelona had agreed a fee of £63m for the transfer of the Dutchman, but problems on the player’s side meant that a deal wasn’t straightforward.

As well as this, it is believed that Barcelona owe de Jong around £17m after the midfielder deferred his wages during the Covid-19 pandemic, amidst uncertainty surrounding the club’s financial future.

However, the Dutchman could be persuaded on a move to Old Trafford this season, due to the fact it gives him the opportunity to reunite with former manager ten Hag, who managed the midfielder during Ajax’s memorable run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.

The longer the transfer saga drags on, the less favourable United’s position regarding the transfer stands, so now may be the time for the club to really begin to press Barcelona, in a bid to find out if a de Jong transfer is likely.

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