Man Utd: Ten Hag now ‘willing to explore’ Frenkie de Jong alternatives at Old Trafford | OneFootball

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is now willing to explore alternative midfield options after missing out on Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Ten Hag spent over £200 million on new recruits during his first window in charge but ultimately fell short in his attempts to reunite with his former Ajax star.

What is the latest on De Jong?

The 25-year-old has been a regular in Xavi’s Barcelona side so far this season, playing in all six of their La Liga games as well as both Champions League outings.

It comes after he was strongly linked with a summer departure, with United even agreeing a £63 million fee for his services.

However, a dispute over his wage deferrals ensured a deal would never be easy to complete, with De Jong himself not sold on a switch to Old Trafford either.

Chelsea also entered the race for his signature but could not reach an agreement, leaving him where he started the summer when the window slammed shut.

United went on to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid as a means of bolstering their options but it remains to be seen whether they have completely given up on De Jong as of yet.

It is now understood that Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans is the club’s new number one option moving forward.

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What has Jones said on the situation?

Jones understands that Ten Hag will now be open to a wider selection of options to strengthen his midfield, both in January and next summer.

The journalist adds that it is time for the Red Devils to forget about signing De Jong, but is unconvinced Tielemans is the solution.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s time to move on from De Jong in my opinion but I’m not sure if Tielemans is the answer. I think Ten Hag will be willing to explore new options to the ones we have been reading about for the last year.”

Who else could United sign?

Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot was close to completing a move to the North West in the summer only for a deal to collapse in the final stages.

Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Ruben Neves was also among the names being considered as an alternative to De Jong.

It emerged that Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo was a player of interest too although Liverpool’s rejected £42 million summer offer means that could prove a tough deal to complete in the future.