Manchester United are closing in on a move for Dutch international Frenkie de Jong.
The Athletic report a deal for De Jong would be around £70 million including add-ons, while Fabrizio Romano reports it could reach £73 million.
De Jong is a player Erik ten Hag managed at Ajax, with great success, helping him earn his £65 million move to Barcelona in the first place.
Reuniting with Ten Hag is key to convincing De Jong to join United, and he will link up with a manager who knows how to get the best out of him.
‘Like a shark’
The new Manchester United boss said De Jong was ‘like a shark’ on the pitch.
Ten Hag told Dutch Soccer Site in 2019: “His quality is that he makes the forwards perform better. He is a wanderer, an adventurer, he’s always on the move, like a shark. With the ball, often, but also without the ball.
“You need to give him freedom, otherwise you can’t the best out of him.
“Frenkie is so important as a player. He became our conductor on the pitch, he determines the rhythm of the team. He takes care of the yield of the attacks, finds team mates, opens up spaces.”
This is exactly what Manchester United need, a player who can set the tone in midfield who is not afraid to get on the ball and helping to drive the team forward.
Last week we looked at three potential winners from the De Jong deal, of which Cristiano Ronaldo was among them.
The more possession United enjoy, the more chances Ronaldo will get in front of goal, and with his track record, it bodes well for the Red Devils.
United still have to agree personal terms with the midfielder, although Sky Sports report they are ‘not expected to be a problem’.
It is only a matter of time before De Jong is adding bite to United’s midfield.
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