Football NewsManchester United’s £55m Pursuit of Frenkie de Jong Hits a Roadblock.
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Manchester United’s pursuit of Frenkie de Jong has been handed a setback after the Dutchman’s representative informed Barcelona that he will not be leaving the club this summer.

United’s Richard Arnold and John Murtough reportedly met with Barca’s sporting director Jordi Cruyff, director of football Mateu Alemany, and sports vice-president Rafa Yuste at the Triton Restaurante in Spain on Monday.
The two clubs had agreed to a package for De Jong worth an initial £55 million that may potentially increase to £72 million, and the player must now select where he will play in the future.
However, reportedly, De Jong’s agents, Ali Dursun and Hasan Cetinkaya, have advised United that the 25-year-old want to remain in Spain.
To United, this is a major setback especially to Erik ten Hag, who wanted to reunite with his former Ajax player and make him the midfield’s beating heart.

Worryingly for Barcelona, De Jong is also ‘not receptive to cutting his compensation’ after agreeing to postpone approximately £17 million in wages during the influenza outbreak.

Tuesday reports in Spain stated that Barcelona had ordered De Jong to take a “significant wage reduction” if he wished to remain due to the club’s dire financial situation.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Alemany, Cruyff, and Xavi spoke with De Jong, 25, prior to his first training session back and explained the issue.

They apparently informed De Jong that if he chooses to remain at Barcelona, he will be asked to take a big pay reduction below £5 million per year.
Selling him for the agreed-upon price would greatly alleviate Barcelona’s well-documented financial woes, both in terms of a cash infusion and a reduction in the club’s pay cost.

In the summer of 2019, Barcelona paid Ajax about £72 million to acquire De Jong, who has since played 140 matches for the club.

If he finds a way to remain at Barcelona, De Jong may continue playing in the Champions League, while United will participate in the Europa League next season.