Frenkie de Jong admits that Joan Laporta tried to pressure him into leaving Barcelona

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Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong has admitted that Joan Laporta tried to pressure him into leaving Barcelona in the summer.

The Red Devils spent the majority of the summer transfer window trying to reunite the Netherlands international with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag.

The transfer did not happen despite a £63.5 million fee being agreed with the Catalans, because the midfielder did not want to leave the Nou Camp.

Several reasons were believed to be behind the 25-year-old’s decision to snub a move to Old Trafford, from De Jong’s happiness in Spain, doubts over Manchester United, and a desire to play Champions League football.

But for all of De Jong’s reluctance in foregoing Champions League football, Xavi’s side look set to fall down to the Europa League come the new year, and they could face the Red Devils.

Frenkie de Jong admits that Joan Laporta tried to pressure him into leaving Barcelona

The Oranje international acknowledges that he was pressured last summer to leave Blaugrana by club president Laporta.

In an interview with MARCA, De Jong said: “I was calm. I decided, in May, that I wanted to stay. My opinion has never changed during this whole period. I remained calm.

“But then you know the pressure would start to come… Yes, from the newspapers, from the president… Everywhere in fact. But I wanted to stay at Barca, so it never baffled me.”

Spanish newspaper Sport report the 44-time Netherlands international is ‘disgusted’ with his situation at Barcelona, where he is not a regular starter.

He has made only four starts across La Liga and the Champions League combined this season.

Barcelona travel to the Santiago Bernabeu later today to face Real Madrid in the first instalment of El Clasico, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Barcelona’s number 21 start the big clash against Los Blancos on the bench.

Held in such high regard by Ten Hag, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Manchester United reignite our interest in De Jong next summer.

And if his playing fortunes don’t improve at the Nou Camp and Manchester United do qualify for the Champions League, De Jong could well be more receptive to a move to M16 especially if the Spanish giants, led by Laporta, do their best to push him out the door once again.