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Manchester United are going back in for long-term target Frenkie De Jong, after years of chasing the superstar
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Manchester United are back in for Frenkie De Jong. This time, it's one hell of an offer. The Dutchman has been linked with the Red Devils on and off ever since Erik ten Hag rocked up at Old Trafford. De Jong was a pivotal member of Ten Hag's Ajax side, which reached the 2019 Champions League semi-finals – and ever since, the midfielder has been coveted by his former boss. De Jong has never been quite convinced enough to leave Barcelona, however. Barça would reportedly ideally like the money – but with De Jong sitting on a lucrative contract, it's difficult to shift the 27-year-old. That might be about to change. According to TEAMtalk, citing reports in Spain, Barcelona are prepared to ‘greenlight’ De Jong's long-anticipated Catalan departure. Manchester United are said to have been so desperate to get this one over the line, meanwhile, that they've even offered Antony as a makeweight in the deal. Unsurprisingly, Barça are said to have rejected the opportunity to take the floundering Brazilian on-board, with Lamine Yamal their first-choice option on the right-wing. VIDEO EA FC 25 Upgrades: slip passes, dribbling, pass accuracy, professional fouls Though both clubs are keen on a deal in principle – with the La Liga outfit apparently open to a cut-price move of as little as £34 million, just to get De Jong off their wage list – there could still be a long way to go. Nothing has been agreed just yet. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. That goes for De Jong's camp, too. In Four Four Two's view, this is a significant step in the saga as the case for United to sign the midfielder has been reopened – but nothing has changed from the player's perspective. United will still have to offer extraordinary wages to De Jong and re-sell the project. United may have a stronger hand this time, with Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee now in tow and a move for De Jong's close friend Matthijs De Ligt said to be in the works. As far as we can see, however, there may be cheaper options available – not to mention more relevant profiles to sign, with the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo negating the urgency for such a No. 8 in the Red Devils' squad. De Jong is worth €70m, according to Transfermarkt. His contract expires in 2026. Joel Matip could make a huge transfer that inadvertently helps Manchester United. Elsewhere in the transfer market, a former star has been tipped to return, while Ten Hag has touted his latest Luke Shaw replacement. In other stories, we reveal Gary Neville's business portfolio and look at why United may be happy to surrender the Community Shield this weekend. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Join now for unlimited access Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at Four Four Two. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer. Arsenal leading race for controversial midfield star: report What is the Community Shield curse? Manchester United in talks for TWO Champions League stars: report Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. ©
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