MANCHESTER UNITED have suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong after PSG reportedly entered the race for him.
New manager Erik ten Hag is understood to want to sign the Dutchman as part of his radical overhaul of Manchester United’s midfield, having worked with him successfully before at Ajax.
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While De Jong wants to stay and continue playing Champions League football, he represents one of the most lucrative assets cash-strapped Barcelona can sell this summer.
United have been plotting to use this, plus the 25-year-old’s relationship with Ten Hag, to their advantage to try and sign him for the reported £65million asking price.
However, according to Sport, French champions Paris Saint-Germain have now entered the race to sign him.
PSG already have a star-studded squad at their disposal in Paris, but the renewal of Kylian Mbappe’s contract has come with a number of perks which include giving him power over who the clubs signs.
The Parisians entering the race is not good news for United’s summer plans, as De Jong would represent one of the highest quality targets attainable on the market.
De Jong remains a regular player for Xavi’s Barcelona, but the emergence of La Masia stars Pedri and Gavi has made the club reconsider their stance towards De Jong’s transfer status.
He has made 140 appearances to date, scoring 13 goals and registering 17 assists in that time.
At Ajax De Jong was typically deployed in a double pivot, but his time at Barca has seen him deployed in an unfamiliar but more attacking position in a midfield three.
With Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba leaving The Red Devils this summer, United will need high quality recruits to bolster their spine and get it to a level which can put the squad in the top four.
The partnership of Scott McTominay and Fred is a sight United fans will not want to see often under Ten Hag when options, such as De Jong, are presenting themselves in the market this summer.
