Man Utd: Ten Hag now 'really wants' to sign £72m star at Old Trafford | OneFootball

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·3 October 2022

Man Utd: Ten Hag now 'really wants' to sign £72m star at Old Trafford

Article image:Man Utd: Ten Hag now 'really wants' to sign £72m star at Old Trafford

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag ‘loves’ Frenkie de Jong and could reignite the Old Trafford interest in the Barcelona star in the future, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Although the Red Devils spent more than £200million ahead of the deadline on September 1, ten Hag missed out on one of his top targets.


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Article image:Man Utd: Ten Hag now 'really wants' to sign £72m star at Old Trafford

What’s the latest news involving de Jong?

According to ESPN, de Jong remains on Manchester United’s shortlist despite the club’s inability to secure his services during the summer transfer window.

The report suggests ten Hag has not been put off by the 45-cap Netherlands international’s public stance of wanting to remain with Barcelona and there is a growing confidence that he could be convinced to reunite with his former Ajax boss at Old Trafford.

Manchester United thought they were on the cusp of signing de Jong when they agreed a deal worth close to £72million with his current employers in July, but a move failed to come to fruition.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Red Devils and Chelsea will continue to keep tabs on the central midfielder ahead of potentially returning to the negotiating table during the winter window.

De Jong was at the centre of a dispute while negotiations were ongoing in August, with Barcelona claiming the contract renewal he signed under the previous hierarchy had irregularities.

What has Dharmesh Sheth said about de Jong?

Sheth understands that ten Hag is a huge admirer of de Jong and, as a result, Manchester United’s interest is not going away.

Although the Red Devils agreed to fork out up to £70million for Casemiro during the summer transfer window, the Sky Sports reporter does not think the Brazilian’s arrival has ended the pursuit of de Jong.

Sheth told GIVEMESPORT: “I still think Erik ten Hag loves the player. He absolutely loves the player and you wouldn’t spend that much time trying to bring in someone if you didn’t really, really want him at the football club.

“I don’t think Casemiro was a replacement with regard to position. I just think that the finances that would have been used for de Jong were used elsewhere in the end.”

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Article image:Man Utd: Ten Hag now 'really wants' to sign £72m star at Old Trafford

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Should de Jong remain on Manchester United’s radar?

Manchester United suffered a 6-3 thumping at the hands of rivals Manchester City on Sunday and that resulted in problems resurfacing for ten Hag.

De Jong has been among Barcelona’s top five performers in La Liga this season – averaging a match rating of 7.23 – so there is no doubt that he would be a consistent and reliable presence in the heart of the Red Devils’ midfield if he were to eventually be drafted in.

The 25-year-old has previously been described by boss Xavi as ‘extraordinary’ and he would be a shrewd investment.

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