Barcelona have received a huge cash boost worth around £555million. However, despite that, the Catalan giants are still reportedly looking to sell Frenkie de Jong. And that bodes well for Manchester United, who are eager to secure the 25-year-old’s signature this summer.
Barcelona have voted to ease their financial woes by selling off the club’s retail operation and port of TV rights.
It will see them free up around £555m, which they’ll use to register the likes of Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie – as well as putting it towards a deal for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona are now set to sell 49.9 per cent of the club’s licensing and merchandising arm.
And they’re also poised to offload up to 25 per cent of its La Liga TV revenues over the coming years to multiple partners as they seek to balance the books.
But while Barcelona are now better off financially, Cope and ESport3 journalist Helena Condis Edo has claimed they still want to offload De Jong.
“The Sports Area is waiting for the levers to be activated to sign,” she said on Twitter.
Erik ten Hag: What De Jong was told about Man Utd transfer
And Ten Hag is eager to be reunited with the 25-year-old and build his United project around his compatriot.
It’s been reported that Barcelona would look for a fee in the region of £70million, plus add-ons, to let De Jong go.
But United are currently reluctant to go that high, with the Red Devils instead poised to haggle.
They certainly need at least one midfielder given the departures that have already taken place at Old Trafford.
Nemanja Matic has left on a free transfer, with the Serbia international choosing to reunite with Jose Mourinho at Roma.
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Paul Pogba has also departed, with the France international widely expected to return to Juventus.
And United have also lost experienced heads in Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata, too.
Regarding De Jong, United legend Teddy Sheringham has concerns over whether the Barcelona star would be a good signing for Ten Hag to make.
“There is a massive recruitment job,” he told Lord Ping.
“He needs to get players in with the right character and who understand the challenges of playing in the Premier League.
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“Where is he going to find these players? I’m seeing the rumours about de Jong.
“He hasn’t played in the Premier League and has been playing for Barcelona, who are expected to pretty much beat nearly every other team.
“Many of Barca’s domestic opponents roll over for them throughout the season. That doesn’t happen in the Premier League – every game is a battle.”
And he added: “The pace and quality of the league could be a shock to the system for ten Hag and a player like de Jong.
“United could have a season of absolute chaos again next year.”
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