Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties could force them into a situation that plays into Manchester United’s hands. With the potential sale of Frenkie de Jong becoming a possibility.
The Catalan club’s financial constraints have left them in a precarious position, jeopardizing registration of their new signing, Dani Olmo. Who joined for £60 million after a triumphant Euro 2024 campaign with Spain. According to reports from Cadena SER, Barcelona may struggle to register Olmo and other players if they cannot resolve the financial issues that have led La Liga to reduce their salary cap. The club currently faces a €100 million (£85 million) shortfall in their 2023/24 accounts. Exacerbated by the delayed receipt of funds from the financial levers activated in 2022.
With limited options to generate the necessary funds, Barcelona might have to resort to player sales, with Frenkie de Jong potentially on the chopping block. The Dutch midfielder, whose contract runs until 2026, could be sold for a fee around £51 million, significantly less than the £65 million Barcelona paid for him in 2019.
Despite his desire to stay at Camp Nou, where he has expressed contentment with his current situation. De Jong may find himself caught in the crossfire of the club’s financial challenges. “Staying at Barca? Yes, I’m very happy in Barcelona with my family, for sure,” De Jong said recently. “Hansi Flick wants me to be key. I talked to him. It was good.”
This situation could present an opportunity for Manchester United, who have long had an interest in De Jong. United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, has made it clear that he sees De Jong as an ideal fit for his plans, particularly in pairing with Casemiro in the midfield.
“It would have been Frenkie de Jong and Casemiro [in the middle],” Ten Hag explained to Gary Neville. “They would really be connected with each other. They would be really complementary to each other. That’s a typical player. If you want to play the Ajax style, you need that type of player.”
United have already strengthened their squad with the recent acquisitions of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, as well as Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee. However, the central midfield remains a key area that they still need to strengthen, making De Jong an attractive target if Barcelona decides to cash in.
As Barcelona grapples with its financial woes, Manchester United could capitalize on the situation and finally secure one of their long-term targets.
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