FC Barcelona chief provides update on Frenkie De Jong amid Man United talk
FC Barcelona have not yet accepted an offer for Frenkie De Jong despite the midfielder being linked with Man United, says Joan Laporta
FC Barcelona have not yet accepted any offers for Frenkie De Jong this summer despite the midfielder being strongly linked with a transfer to Manchester United, the Spanish club’s president Joan Laporta has said.
Manchester United have been relentlessly linked with a move for the Netherlands international as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his options in midfield ahead of his first season in charge at Old Trafford.
However, despite the newspaper speculation, De Jong remains as an FC Barcelona player and he appears to be no closer to signing for the Red Devils this summer.
There had been suggestions that Manchester United have had an offer for De Jong accepted by the Spanish club, but FC Barcelona president Laporta has now poured cold water on those reports, suggesting that he will seek further talks with the player himself to discuss his situation before making a decision.
“Frenkie is our player, we really like him,” Laporta told ESPN, as quoted by Metro.
“We received some offers for Frenkie but we didn’t accept as of now, as we want to talk with him and know exactly what he wants. We need to clarify some aspects of his situation.”
Meanwhile, FC Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez insisted that De Jong remains a “key player” in his team ahead of the new campaign.
Xavi said: “We’ve had private conversations that are very important, that I will not reveal here. He’s a key player, but then there’s the economic situation and Financial Fair Play.”
Manchester United will kick off their Premier League campaign with a home clash against Brighton and Hove Albion on the opening weekend of the season.
The Red Devils have so far completed deals for Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Christian Eriksen this summer – but they continue to be linked with further additions before the transfer window closes on 1 September.
