The switch saga involving Manchester United and Frenkie de Jong may quickly lastly attain its conclusion, though it is going to be an sad one for Erik ten Hag.
What’s the phrase?
United have been linked with the Netherlands worldwide all through the summer season however have discovered it extraordinarily troublesome to do a cope with Barcelona, as a consequence of various components.
The Catalan membership had been eager to money in on the previous Ajax man to ease their monetary woes and permit them to register new signings however he was seemingly unwilling to make the transfer to Previous Trafford because of the lack of Champions League soccer on provide.
Now it appears as if he’ll depart the Nou Camp however will likely be shifting to London to affix Chelsea as an alternative, with the newest studies from The Occasions suggesting that the Blues are very near securing an settlement with De Jong and Barcelona for his switch.
United had been initially keen to pay £71m earlier within the switch window with that charge being agreed upon between the 2 sides.
Ten Hag will likely be gutted
Ten Hag has clearly been extraordinarily eager to reunite with De Jong at Previous Trafford and can little question be extremely gutted that United haven’t been capable of get a deal executed.
Had been United ever going to signal De Jong?
Sure
No
There will likely be a priority now that, after lacking out on their major switch goal, the Crimson Devils will likely be pressured to show to different much less enticing choices, with the reported arrival of Adrien Rabiot doing so much to counsel that these on the board at Previous Trafford are panicking.
Final weekend’s opening fixture defeat in opposition to Brighton noticed United’s midfield of Christian Eriksen, Fred and Scott McTominay merely outclassed by Graham Potter’s facet, and highlighted simply how a lot United have to strengthen if they’re to enhance on a disastrous 2021/22 marketing campaign.
The latter of the 2 had been so uninspiring that each had been withdrawn early within the match, with Fred failing to win a single defensive duel.
De Jong actually possesses the standard to play on the very high, emphasised by the 91.3% move accuracy he averaged in La Liga final season, a tally that considerably betters the 67% completion of McTominay final weekend.
United’s finest passer of gamers to begin a minimum of ten video games final time period, by comparability, was centre-back Raphael Varane, who averaged an 87.8% move accuracy, whereas Fred, McTominay and Bruno Fernandes had been all under 86%.
Due to this fact, they’re clearly missing a participant of De Jong’s high quality in the course of the park, and given how a lot United have pushed to signal him, it ought to be an enormous blow to Ten Hag that Chelsea have reportedly received the race to signal him.
