Barcelona president Joan Laporta has reiterated the club’s stance on Frenkie de Jong, maintaining he is not for sale despite Man United’s interest.
In the previous week, reports that a deal for the Dutch midfielder, Frenkie de Jong was nearly finalized. However, club president Laporta has stated that the Catalan giants do not wish to sell him. Moreover, he indicates he will be an integral part of Xavi’s squad in the forthcoming season.
In a news conference announcing the signing of Franck Kessie, he stated, “Frenkie is not for sale.” He is a footballer for Barcelona. We do not wish for his move.’
De Jong is at the top of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag’s summer transfer wish list as he seeks to completely rebuild the Red Devils’ roster.
The Dutchman intends to utilize the 25-year-old Holland international as the midfield’s backbone.
Sources claimed that a deal between Manchester United and Barcelona for the Dutch star is ‘90% finalised,’ with only the final details to be ironed out.
It is believed that United will initially pay the Spanish club approximately £55 million for De Jong, with the price potentially climbing to close to £70 million.
According to reports, De Jong was open to joining United, and negotiating personal terms with the Dutchman should not pose an issue.
Indeed, the prospect of reuniting with Ten Hag was cited as a big influence in De Jong’s decision to sign with United this summer.
Since joining Barcelona from Ajax, De Jong has appeared 140 times and scored 13 times in three seasons. In 2021, his sole trophy at the Nou Camp was the Copa del Rey.