Xavi approves Frenkie de Jong transfer to Man Utd as the midfielder makes his feelings clear
Xavi Hernandez, the manager of Barcelona, has given Frenkie de Jong permission to join Manchester United.
The 25-year-old is apparently on the market at Camp Nou after failing to impress the Blaugrana faithful since leaving Ajax three years ago.
Erik ten Hag made De Jong a star early in his glittering stint in Amsterdam, as Ajax reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2019.
Ten Hag, the new manager of the Manchester United, wants to reunite with the midfielder at Old Trafford and make him his first signing during the summer transfer window.
According to Deportes Cuarto, Xavi has backed the deal and wants to bolster Barcelona’s midfield with players such as out-of-contract AC Milan ace Franck Kessie.
De Jong joined Barcelona for £65 million and is anticipated to leave for a similar sum, with numerous Catalan media sites forecasting a transfer in the coming weeks.
Due to their financial difficulties and losses as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Blaugrana will be obliged to sell a high-earner this summer, with the Netherlands international being one of them.
Xavi admitted before the latest reports: “I haven’t talked with him about his future. He is playing at a very good level and has to continue here – he can be one of the best midfielders in the world for years to come. If it were up to me, I would continue here for many more years. He is very important and can mark an era here. He has to score, assist and he has to be the protagonist.”
However, it is possible that the Barcelona manager has unwillingly acknowledged his club’s plight, with De Jong telling The Guardian in February that playing at the Camp Nou was his “dream.”
“I’m very happy I’m at Barcelona: from a young age I’ve wanted to be here, so in that way it has been a dream come true,” he declared. “But I would have liked to win more trophies than we did in my first two years. I expected more in that sense, let’s put it that way. But other than that, I’m very happy here and hopefully for many more years.”
Ten Hag convened a meeting in Amsterdam on Thursday to spell out his transfer strategy.
United Football Director John Murtough, Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag, and Steve McCalren, who is also slated to join him in the Old Trafford bench, were all present.
This summer, the Dutch tactician is expected to add two midfielders, a versatile forward, and a center-back.
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Xavi approves Frenkie de Jong transfer to Man Utd as the midfielder makes his feelings clear
