Barcelona have reportedly told Manchester United target, Frenkie de Jong, that he has to take a substantial pay cut if he wants to remain at the club.
Last week, the Spanish La Liga club and Premier League side Man United reached an agreement for the Dutch midfielder – an initial £55million potentially rising to £72m. So it is now up to De Jong to decide where his future lies.
The 25-year-old is Man United’s primary transfer target this summer, and he would be reunited with his former Ajax coach, Erik ten Hag, in Old Trafford.
According to reports in Spain, De Jong would like to remain at the Nou Camp, but the club’s dire financial situation has left the door open for a sale.
Man United chiefs John Murtough and Richard Arnold travelled to Barcelona on Monday. They met Barca’s director of football Mateu Alemany, sports vice-president Rafa Yuste, and sporting director Jordi Cruyff at the Triton Restaurante to conclude the transfer fee for the midfielder.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo via Sportsmail, the club’s chiefs and Xavi, sat down with De Jong, ahead of his first training session back and explained the situation.
They reportedly told the Dutchman that if he wished to stay at Barcelona, he would be required to cut his £5m-a-year salary significantly. He was told his sale was a purely economic issue, and that Xavi considered him an important player.
However, De Jong is reportedly ‘displeased’ with how Barcelona handled the situation.
Fellow Premier League side Chelsea have also been linked with De Jong and could offer a continuation of Champions League football next season. But it is United who has finally agreed on a fee with Barcelona after weeks of negotiations.
Xavi wants De Jong’s situation at Barca resolved before the club flies out to the United States on July 16 for a two-week pre-season tour.
