Barcelona president Joan Laporta has given a fresh update on Manchester United transfer target Frenkie de Jong’s future.
This summer we have learned to take whatever Laporta says with a pinch of salt. As someone who has covered the story closely for the past nine weeks, I won’t be changing my stance on that.
United find themselves embroiled in long-runner transfer sagas with Barcelona players far too often for my liking – and, on top of that, we rarely end up signing the player.
A deal for De Jong has been agreed in principle between United and Barcelona, as per Manchester Evening News, yet Laporta claims he is still wanted at Camp Nou.
The Dutch midfielder has been dropped into a centre-back role for pre-season matches and they’ve already signed a new midfielder this summer in Franck Kessie. It remains to be seen if he will have a key role in Xavi’s midfield next term.
“Frenkie is a Barca player,” Laporta is quoted as saying by talkSPORT.
“We want him to stay, he wants to stay. We’ve received important bids for him but he’s our player.
“You know salary budget situation; so we will do our best to keep Frenkie at Barca. I hope he’ll do the same.”
Laporta doesn’t add that they have a deal in place with United, nor the fact Barca owe De Jong €17m in deferred wages.
This one is expected to drag on even longer.
Why cant we sign savic wasting time with de jong plz utd move on.
Lol this guy must really believe his own lies. If you want FDJ to stay all you have to do is show some honour and class and some real love by paying what you owe and sticking to the contract you signed. Be honest and stop ruining the great Barca legacy. You are not fit to run such a great club. Resign immediatly.
United look absolutely ridiculous in all this. Embarrassing the club for 9 weeks.
If he doesn’t sign (which I believe he won’t-he’ll take a pay cut and stay) it will be officially the most embarrassing saga in football history.
And if ETH thinks he can go into the season with mcfred as the only holding players he will find out v quickly that they are not up to standard, esp McTominay.
Crazy decision. ETH better be Klopp mk2 if it’s mcfred.