Barcelona believe Manchester United are still keen on landing Frenkie de Jong, according to reports. Erik ten Hag wanted to acquire the Netherlands international back in the summer, only to settle for the arrival of Casemiro instead. Yet if the midfielder does end up jumping ship, they’re supposedly setting their sights on a deal for Newcastle maestro Guimaraes.
Barcelona star De Jong was aggressively pursued by United back in the summer, with Ten Hag swiftly identifying his fellow Dutchman as a priority target upon taking over from Ralf Rangnick.
Yet the midfielder ended up staying at the Nou Camp, believing he can be a key player for Xavi.
De Jong has been in and out of the Barcelona side in the time since and, according to the Daily Star, the Catalan giants think United are still keen on the player.
Though they signed Casemiro from Real Madrid, the Red Devils know they need to further improve their squad in order to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.
And if De Jong does depart, Guimaraes is being targeted as a potential replacement.
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When asked about how he felt when he initially struggled to make his mark at Newcastle, he added: “To be honest, when I started those games on the bench, I sometimes thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I doing with my life?’
“No, no, I’m joking. Of course, it’s never easy to stay on the bench, but I think Eddie made the best decision.
“It was good for my adaptation to the club, to the Premier League, and to get to know my team-mates.
“Then, afterwards, when I started to play, it was like a dream.”
And, when asked about the pressure of such a move, he said: “I think, when Newcastle bought me, some fans thought I was a No 9, but Newcastle bought a midfielder, a No 6 or a No 8.
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“There was a lot of pressure because I was a national team player for Brazil, coming to a team that was fighting to stay in the Premier League and not get relegated.
“But I think I was born to play in the Premier League. I love the atmosphere. I love the intensity of the game. It is the most difficult league, of course.
“There are no easy games. But when you play well here, it makes you think you can play in any competition.
“I think that, and the pressure when I came, has helped me to develop, to be the player I am now.”
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