Man Utd think Barcelona are ‘playing games’ over Frenkie de Jong and using tactics to inflate his transfer fee
MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly convinced that Barcelona are trying to drive up the price for Frenkie de Jong.
The Dutch midfielder is a long-term target for the Red Devils after they tried to sign him during the summer transfer window.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said that De Jong is “non-transferable”, according to Sport.
But the report suggests that it is a tactic in order to raise his price ahead of a potential sale of the player.
This season, the midfielder has made 17 appearances for Barcelona, scoring twice and assisting one goal.
De Jong is believed to have told Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag that he was happy to move to Old Trafford.
But a move failed to materialise in the summer as the 25-year-old refused to leave the club due to his deferred wages.
De Jong took a pay cut in order to help Barcelona’s financial crisis, and he is still owed £17 million by the La Liga club.
In the summer, United were willing to pay up to £60m for the midfielder but after failing to pull off the move, they opted for Real Madrid star Casemiro.
However, it is thought that United are still very much interested in signing him.
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They reportedly want to pair him with Borussia Dortmund and England star Jude Bellingham in a £200m splurge to reinvent their midfield.
Although the transfer are more likely to happen in the transfer window next summer.