Top Barcelona star and Erik Ten Hag’s major Midfield target refused to be sold to Man United during summer transfer window

Top Barcelona star and Erik Ten Hag’s major Midfield target refused to be sold to Man United during summer transfer window

SPORT claims that the Catalan team was ready to let go of the Netherlands star this summer in order to raise money, and that they had made an offer to a number of European teams before the 2024–25 season started.

De Jong, nevertheless, resisted leaving Barcelona and has continued to play for Hansi Flick’s team this year.

The 27-year-old joined Barcelona after leaving Ajax in 2019, which at the time was a huge coup for the Spanish squad.

However, the La Liga team has made several attempts to let the player go in order to help with their financial problems.

Erik ten Hag named the former Ajax player his main target, and Man United and Barcelona agreed on a €85 million transfer fee in 2022 for De Jong.

The Red Devils were linked to the Dutch talent once again over recent weeks as the midfielder was an alternative for the Premier League giants had they missed out on a deal for PSG star Manuel Ugarte.

The Manchester club successfully got that deal over the line, which meant that De Jong would remain at Barcelona for another season.

Is there tension between Barcelona and Frenkie de Jong?

De Jong is out of contract with Barcelona in 2026, which means next summer could be the one that sees the Dutch international leave the Catalan club.

According to Mundo Deportivo, there is currently tension between Barca and the 27-year-old around his injury as the Dutch star is adamant about not returning to the field unless he feels completely fit. This is a stance Barcelona do not share as the La Liga club have made it clear that they expect De Jong to play through the pain barrier.

The Spanish giants have given the former Ajax star a two-week window to assess his condition and determine whether he can return to play.

It has not always been rosy between De Jong and Barcelona but the player remains with the Catalan outfit, but only time will tell for how long