Frenkie de Jong: Why Man Utd transfer is inevitable
Robin Bairner
- 28 May 2022 12:24 BST
- 3 min read
Frenkie de Jong is set to be 2022’s big loser of Barcelona’s financial meltdown, with a transfer to Manchester United looking increasingly likely.
The Netherlands international is set to follow Lionel Messi, who departed for PSG in 2021, out the door as a significant casualty of the economic problems that have left the Camp Nou side mired in debt of well over €1 billion.
De Jong may well wish to stay at Barca, but he will face huge pressure from the board to leave this summer, particularly as former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag appears to be so keen to take him to Man Utd.
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Why De Jong will leave Barcelona
The factors pushing the 25-year-old away from the Blaugrana are more than just footballing, although it is clear that what happens on the field will have an impact on their decision.
Barcelona, after all, have a plethora of central midfielders to call upon besides De Jong. Pedri, Gavi, Sergio Busquets and Nico are set to have their numbers added to by Franck Kessie, who said his goodbyes to Milan on Friday.
This is amid a background of serious financial trouble at the club. Barca are doing everything they can to raise money, including a sponsorship deal with Spotify for the naming rights to Camp Nou and even asking for a slice of La Liga’s CVC deal, which they were once vehemently opposed to. The latter is evidence of how desperate they are.
Back in the playing squad, De Jong falls into a category of just one in that he is both a sellable asset and not essential to the starting XI. Xavi has even hinted previously at this dilemma the club faces.
The other players on Barca’s books are either too important to sell, or there is no market for them due to a combination of their high wages and comparatively low quality.
It is in Barcelona’s interests, then, to ensure De Jong goes to Man Utd – and ideally as quickly as possible.
