Erik ten Hag has helped draw up a six-player shortlist for Manchester United transfer targets this summer – and has instructed the club to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, it has been claimed.
United had an initial transfer fee of £56.2million agreed with Barca last summer to sign the Dutch midfield maestro, but the player refused a move. Despite the club agreeing to his departure and his relationship with United boss Ten Hag the 25-year-old was intent on staying at the Camp Nou.
De Jong has increasingly been at odds with the club's board this season including criticising them for leaking his contract details last summer and he is set to refuse Barca’s latest attempt to persuade the midfielder to reduce his salary. The club must make €170million in wage reductions in their accounts, with the Dutchman their highest earner.
The continued prominence of Pedri and Gavi has meant that while De Jong remains a regular presence in Barca’s team, last summer’s signing of Franck Kessie, the emergence of Pablo Torre and the expectation that the club will sign a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets, means that the club would consider cashing-in on the former Ajax ace.
After missing out on a move for De Jong last summer, United moved to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid having also added central midfielder, Christian Eriksen. The club have also added Marcel Sabitzer on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the campaign.
A report in the Manchester Evening News claims that Ten Hag has told United to once again pursue an agreement with De Jong in light of the Catalan club’s financial problems. The Dutchman is also a huge fan of Jude Bellingham, but a host of Europe’s top clubs are also lingering for the Borussia Dortmund star.
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Four other players are said to have been approved by Ten Hag, with a priority on signing a striker this summer. Wout Weghorst's loan deal expires at the end of the campaign and Anthony Martial is also expected to depart Old Trafford.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Napoli frontman Victor Osimhen are established long-term targets, with great admiration for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos and Mohammed Kudus, whom Ten Hag coached at Ajax.
Ten Hag is keen to continue restructuring his squad this summer with United open to offers for striker Martial, club captain Harry Maguire and Alex Telles – currently on loan at Sevilla – in the coming window.
