Frenkie de Jong was ‘very upset’ with Barcelona chiefs after failed Man Utd transfer
Manchester United tried to sign Frenkie de Jong in the summer of 2022 and the midfielder is said to be unhappy with the way Barcelona handled the proposed transfer. Frenkie de Jong is ‘very upset’ with the way Barcelona handled the situation with Manchester United looking to sign the midfielder in 2022. Erik ten Hag has made the Netherlands international his main transfer target after upon being appointed as the club’s new permanent manager for almost 18 years. many months ago.
A summer-long transfer saga has seen United even agree a fee of around £56m with Barcelona for De Jong, although the Red Devils are yet to agree personal terms. The move never materialized, as De Jong remained at Barcelona while United eventually signed Casemiro and Christian Eriksen as replacements. De Jong made 43 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona last season and has been a mainstay under Xavi Hernandez so far this season. However, according to Sport, it is reported that the 26-year-old is angry with the way Barcelona tried to sell him and that it damaged his relationship with the club’s board.
It is now understood that De Jong has “calmed down” and the link between player and club is being re-established. Barcelona are also trying to tie down De Jong with a new long-term contract, having started six of the first seven matches before he sprained his ankle. De Jong’s current contract at Barcelona expires in 2026, but the club want him to take a pay cut over the next two years. It is unknown whether De Jong will agree to that proposal, although Barcelona do see him as one of the best midfielders in world football. He has played 190 matches for the Catalan side since his big-money move from Ajax in 2019, winning the Copa del Rey and La Liga along the way.
De Jong has become a favourite of Xavi over the past 12 months and the Barcelona boss admitted he was surprised to see the amount of criticism he has faced, having forced his way back into the side. A footballer who is a 10 is an eight, he said earlier this month. A player who is an eight is a six. This is why it is the toughest club in the world for players. Frenkie is one of the best in the world. And he’s the same way when it comes to training. This is why some people are surprised. They watched him practice and wondered:
why he was criticized so much. Barcelona have got a plethora of talent in midfield at their disposal. Gavi, Ilkay Gundogan and Fermin Lopez started as a three in their most recent outing against Granada, leaving Oriol Romeu and Sergi Roberto on the bench. De Jong and Pedri were both unavailable for that match.