Erik ten Hag’s first pre-season at Manchester United is officially underway but no fresh faces have been introduced to the squad just yet.
Frenkie de Jong, the Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder, is the club’s number one priority this summer and the latest updates on United’s pursuit of the 25-year-old have been encouraging.
Earlier on Tuesday, it emerged that United were so advanced in a deal to bring De Jong to Old Trafford that it was described as ‘90% completed’.
Now, journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the situation, confirming that an agreement between United and Barcelona on the transfer fee is ‘really, really close’.
Read more: Man Utd reach €17m agreement to sign left-back
“The new verbal proposal from Manchester United, made during the weekend, and then discussed on Monday, is €65m guaranteed plus add-ons to bring the deal to potential package of €85m,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.
“This is what Barcelona and Manchester United are discussing. Let me say, it’s really close, the agreement between the two clubs. Really, really close.
“Manchester United are really optimistic to complete everything really soon with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong agreement. But, they still need to discuss some details on the structure of the deal.”
United fans have been left frustrated by the protracted nature of the De Jong saga but elsewhere, it has been reported that the club has agreed a €17m fee with Feyenoord for left-back Tyrell Malacia.
The 22-year-old was believed to be close to joining Olympique Lyon but the Old Trafford chiefs have moved quickly to intercept that deal, with only personal terms missing for the young defender to become the first signing of the summer.
