Manchester United’s pursuit of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong is said to have encountered a serious roadblock after the Catalan giants confirmed their commitment to the player.
De Jong looked like he might leave the Nou Camp in the summer, but since staying in Spain, the Dutchman has become an important member of Xavi Hernandez’s team who are presently dominating LaLiga.
One of the main questions surrounding De Jong’s future at the club was how much money he was making.
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According to reports, club officials asked him if he would volunteer to take a pay cut as Barcelona was experiencing a period of well-publicized financial difficulties before the start of the current season.
However, a report from the Spanish outlet Sport claims that De Jong is now considered to be crucial member of the team and that Barcelona will no longer take into account any requests for the player’s pay cut.
In addition, it is said that Xavi Hernandez will not consider any bids for the 25-year-old because he sees Frenkie De Jong as Sergio Busquets’ long-term replacement in the center of the team’s midfield.
Since making his club debut in 2008, Busquets has won every award possible.
However, the 34-year-old is expected to leave when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.
De Jong has long been a favorite of Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag since their days at Ajax.
In 2019, De Jong, 25, was named the Champions League’s Midfielder of the Season as Ten Hag guided the Dutch team to the semifinals.
The United manager is still reportedly interested in moving, despite having failed to sign De Jong to Old Trafford as a result of the drawn-out scandal this summer.
However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta was quick to rule out any departure last week.
“In midfield I have never wanted to sell Frenkie de Jong because he is one of the best players we have,” Laporta admitted.
“He is one of the great talents, young, and one of the leaders of the team.”
This season, De Jong has made 17 appearances for Barcelona and scored twice.
Since moving for £65 million to the Nou Camp in 2019, he has played 157 times overall, earning just one trophy—the Copa Del Rey for the 2020–21 season.
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