Manchester United's summer transfer shortlist is topped by Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong – and the Catalan club have admitted they will need player exits this summer to fund recruitment.
Barca have drawn up an ambitious list of transfer targets for this summer's windows – with five Manchester City players on their radar. That would follow on from last summer’s heavy investment which saw striker Robert Lewandowski lead a line of big-name arrivals, including Jules Kounde and Raphinha.
However, big-name arrivals at the Camp Nou are unlikely without exits first. As reported in December by Sport, the Catalan club need to reduce their salary outgoings of €600million to €400m for next season in order to register new players and any new contracts. Those reports have subsequently been confirmed by La Liga president Javier Tebas.
Barca president Joan Laporta has now clarified that the club will try to bolster their squad in at least three positions for next season. However, he also confessed that this could only be funded by player exits.
"We will surely sign a full-back, that is a priority," Laporta explained on Tuesday, in quotes carried by Mundo Deportivo. "Perhaps a central defender too, it depends. We will try as far as we can to sign players.
"A striker too, that is true. But it is likely that players will have to be sold. Midfield, I think we have a big one and I don't think it's necessary. We have a great midfield and players coming through the youth teams, so I don't see the need to sign someone there."
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Laporta also admitted: "We have exceeded the salary limit and that makes it very difficult" in regards to signing players, while also directly calling on Xavi to provide a path for the integration of more youth team players into the first-team squad.
The future of De Jong remains under scrutiny. The Dutchman – who is Barca's highest earner – has increasingly been at odds with the club's board this season, including criticising them for leaking his contract details last summer. He has refused Barca's latest attempt to persuade the midfielder to reduce his salary.
It is understood that the player wishes to remain at Barca but that situation could change over the coming months. United boss Erik ten Hag is keen to bolster his midfield ranks. He believes the Dutchman would be the perfect accompaniment for Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, of whom De Jong is a huge admirer.
United had an initial transfer fee of £56.2million agreed with Barca last summer to sign the 25-year-old, but no deal came to fruition as the player wished to remain at Camp Nou. De Jong remains the highest-earning player at the Catalan giants.
Furthermore, the future of De Jong may be impacted by Sergio Busquets being offered a new one-year contract by the club. The long-serving central midfielder is likely to remain first choice in the anchoring midfield role next campaign, should he stay.
"Busquets is important and I think Xavi wants him to stay for another year," Laporta added. "We have not yet made an offer, but we will make one shortly so that he can continue for one more year. He has to value many aspects: family and other offers."
