Manchester United rejects Harry Maguire – Frenkie de Jong swap deal with Barcelona amidst interest of Catalan club for the English defender: Reports

Manchester United rejects Harry Maguire – Frenkie de Jong swap deal with Barcelona amidst interest of Catalan club for the English defender: Reports

In a deal for Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford, Manchester United rejected a proposal from Barcelona to sign Harry Maguire.

According to reports, the Catalan team is considering bringing in Maguire this summer. Barcelona, according to The Sun, wanted to know whether United would include the Englishman in a trade to get De Jong to support Erik ten Hag.

The central defender, who cost £80 million, had a difficult 21/22 season, and his performances came under intense scrutiny as United finished in a pitiful sixth place with the team’s lowest-ever Premier League point total.

Also Read: WATCH: When Argentina National team stunned Lionel Messi by singing songs for him on his 34th birthday

Is Frenkie de Jong Manchester United bound?

Frenkie De Jong scores
Frenkie de Jong for FC Barcelona

United are hesitant to fire their club captain, though, since new manager Ten Hag wants to work with him. Barcelona is reportedly holding out for a transfer price of somewhere around £69 million, while De Jong is reportedly close to moving to England in a straight cash deal.

This is a welcome boost for Ten Hag because there have been long-standing interests in De Jong, but a transaction has taken far longer than anticipated to come together.

Ten Hag is reportedly eager to build his squad around the midfielder, with the Barcelona player considered an essential part of the new manager’s ambitions for the future. Ten Hag reportedly tutored De Jong during the pair’s time together in the Eredivisie with Ajax.

The Dutch champions are seeking a sum of about £68 million, which is more than what United is willing to spend, and the Old Trafford club is reportedly interested in acquiring Ajax winger Antony.

Christian Eriksen, a free agent whose short-term contract with Brentford expired at the end of the 21–22 season, is another player United is hoping to convince to join the team. Eriksen is a Danish international. The former midfielder for both Spurs and Inter Milan is presently considering offers from both United and Brentford.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV8J9m2CWbw

As United begins preseason practice on Monday, Ten Hag will soon get to know his new teammates for the first time. The club has started getting ready before leaving at the end of the week for a trip to Thailand and Australia.

Ten Hag will be working to assemble a team that can contend for the top four spots in the upcoming campaign.

Also Read: Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique watches friend Rafael Nadal play at Wimbledon after split with Shakira