Manchester United’s new boss Erik ten Hag is already facing some major obstacles in his attempts to help the club return to its former glory. Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, believed to be at the top of ten Hag’s wish list this summer, recently made it clear that he is only interested in staying with his current club Barcelona.
Ten Hag worked with de Jong at Ajax and believes the 25-year-old player would be a perfect fit for what he’s trying to do at Old Trafford. Barca is reportedly also willing to do business due to their troubled financial situation, but the Netherlands international doesn’t seem to be convinced about the move at all.
Speaking with Pascal Kamperman of ESPN Netherlands on Tuesday, de Jong reflected on Man Utd transfer rumors and reiterated his desire to continue playing in Barca’s uniform.
“I prefer to stay with Barcelona,” De Jong said. “Barcelona is just my dream club. Also, from a young age. I just said it too. I’ve never regretted my choice despite the fact that I had hoped for more in terms of prizes than I’ve achieved so far. But I have never regretted my choice.”
De Jong later also had a chat with Dutch media outlet AD and conveyed a similar message.
“Of course, I hear about the links to Manchester United, but the people in charge of Barça didn’t tell me anything,” he explained.
Frenkie De Jong joined Barcelona in the summer of 2019 in a transfer worth €75 million. But while De Jong established himself as ever-present in the club’s starting 11, he failed to make the expected impact. He only has 13 goals and 17 assists to show for in the past three seasons.
