Man Utd ‘preparing final Frenkie de Jong transfer offer to Barcelona and will match £450k-a-week wages and pay contract’
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MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly preparing a “last-ditch” attempt to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona.
Erik ten Hag has made the Dutch midfielder his top target this summer but negotiations have been rumbling on for weeks.
The Red Devils are ready to make the 25-year-old their highest paid player by matching his £450,000-a-week contract.
Now the states that Ten Hag has instructed “Old Trafford chiefs to pull out every possible stop to secure” the star - including the £17m he is owed by Barcelona in deferred wages.
United chiefs are allegedly set to meet their Barca counterparts when the LaLiga club return from their pre-season tour of America this week.
A transfer fee of around £74m has been agreed but De Jong is still unsure whether to swap life in Spain for the Premier League.
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Should he remain firm on his stance to stay in Spain then De Jong will have to take a pay cut despite the financially-struck club spending over £100million on new players this summer with Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie, and Andreas Christensen all joining.
United's failure to qualify for the Champions League is also a huge factor, but Ten Hag seems confident that he can get his man.
De Jong has been threatened with being forced to take a pay cut at Barcelona amid their financial woes - despite Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessie and Jules Kounde all arriving this summer.
However, he has so far snubbed a move to Old Trafford and a reunion with old boss Ten Hag because he wants to stay and fight for his place at Barcelona.
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Instead, De Jong would rather have pursued the loan options at Chelsea or Bayern Munich - although neither club would be willing to match the wages United would pay.
United did drop their latest and biggest hint they are confident of landing De Jong this week when they released their squad numbers for the 2022-23 season.
Lisandro Martinez took No6 and Christian Eriksen opted for No14 - which leaves De Jong's beloved No21 he wears for club and country vacant.