Frenkie de Jong’s introduction after the half-time break was the important thing that helped Barcelona open up Actual Madrid and seal a 4-0 victory in El Clasico final weekend.
The Dutchman appeared in wonderful contact and made a large influence regardless of nonetheless not being at his 100% bodily and earned reward from throughout the globe for his efficiency.
It was not way back, nonetheless, that the participant was closely linked with a transfer away from the membership. He was linked with an exit final summer time however was extra extensively ‘pushed’ out of the workforce in 2022 when Manchester United have been interested by his signing.
United’s overt efforts
As revealed in a latest report on The Athletic, Manchester United went so far as to ship De Jong a video with their membership legends to persuade the participant to signal for the membership.
They hoped that it will allow the participant to see the membership with renewed mild and thus help a choice to turn out to be the centre-piece of Erik Ten Hag’s midfield.
Manchester United went to nice lengths to signal De Jong. (Photograph by David Ramos/Getty Pictures)
The Barcelona star, nonetheless, by no means even opened the video as he was agency on his determination to remain in Catalonia and at no level thought of an exit from the membership.
At this cut-off date, the participant has made a return from harm and introduced his significance within the workforce’s setup.
Nonetheless, it’s nonetheless removed from straightforward for De Jong to interrupt into Hansi Flick’s common beginning lineup given the extreme competitors for beginning spots in midfield with Pedri, Gavi, Marc Casado, Pablo Torre, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez all competing with him.
The 27-year-old’s present cope with Barcelona runs till the summer time of 2026 and he has not responded to the membership’s efforts to increase his deal.
Joan Laporta and Co. concern that he might now be pushing for a departure as a free agent, one thing they hope to stop. For sure, nonetheless, it is going to all boil all the way down to his significance within the workforce and the way valued he feels.