Manchester United to use Matthijs de Ligt as “bait” to land Frenkie de Jong | OneFootball

Manchester United could reportedly use Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt as bait to finally land Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

Ever since Erik ten Hag became manager at the club in 2022, they have been linked to numerous former players and Dutch stars.

Whilst the coach has signed previous players like Lisandro Martinez and Antony, he has also showed an interest in players like Cody Gakpo and Denzel Dumfries.

With United aiming to strengthen both their centre back and midfield department it is somewhat inevitable that De Ligt and De Jong’s name will pop up once more, especially in the context that both could genuinely be sold this summer.

Football365 state that reports in Spain claim that Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, is willing to sell the 27-year-old for as little as €60 million (£51 million), when he was valued at around €85 million two years ago.”

It is claimed that De Jong’s “continuity at Barca is once again in question” as Barcelona need to free up some space on the wage bill and he does not want to lower his salary.

It is also reported that “everything indicates that Matthijs de Ligt will leave Bayern Munich this summer and head to Manchester United.”

Interestingly, Football365 also relay that “De Ligt is De Jong’s ‘best friend in football’ and could help convince him to relocate from Barcelona to Manchester.”

The two Dutch internationals and manager were all at Ajax together from 2017 and all three were together when Ajax went on an incredible run that almost took them to the final of the Champions League in 2018.

Both players have also been constantly linked to a move to Old Trafford but no move has ever come into fruition despite United agreeing a deal with Barcelona in the summer of 2022 for the transfer of De Jong.

However, INEOS want to take decision-making power in terms of recruitment away from Ten Hag and put it in the hands of the incoming director of football, so in that sense it would be surprising if they were to pursue two players who were identified by him and who rejected the club previously.

Meanwhile, United are actively pursuing Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite for the centre back position, while reports suggest Benfica’s Joao Neves is their top target for central midfield.

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