‘United tax’ may see club walk away from any deal for De Jong

UNITED have found their main man in the summer transfer window. There’s just one problem – he still plays for Barcelona.

It is now five-and-a-half weeks since news of the Reds’ interest in Frenkie de Jong was made public, the same night the club celebrated a triumph in the FA Youth Cup, a taste of the silverware they hope the Dutchman can bring to Old Trafford in the years ahead.

Erik ten Hag has identified De Jong, 25, as an ideal target, having coached him at Ajax, and the clubs remain in talks over a deal, with both parties holding firm on their valuation of the player.

Barcelona are looking to get as much money as possible for a first-team player who is contracted until 2026, while United are adamant that they won’t overpay and will only complete a deal if it remains value for money from their point of view.

At least one of the clubs will need to make a compromise. Which side that is going to be will be a real test of United’s transfer resolve.

If they continue to be frustrated by Barcelona’s valuation of De Jong, which sources in Spain suggest could be as high as EUR100m, then United insist they are willing to move on to other targets and it is understood they have held talks with the representatives of potential alternatives.

It seems like a similar situation to United’s failed pursuit of Jadon Sancho back in 2020, with the club refusing to meet Borussia Dortmund’s £108m demand for the right winger and the club eventually backing down from a deal. Despite signing Amad and Facundo Pellistri to address their right wing issues, United retained an interest in Sancho and pounced on a £73m deal last summer, in effect saving £35m as a reward for their patience.

When Ed Woodward was running the club, they gained a reputation for paying inflated fees with a ‘United tax’ on any player they declared an interest in. Richard Arnold and John Murtough are looking to combat such a tag, and their pursuit of De Jong this summer will ultimately influence whether or not anything has really changed.

With social media supporters voicing their frustration at a lack of business, United don’t need to consult their ‘fan sentiment graphs’ to gauge the discontent while fierce rivals have already signed players.

A deal for De Jong would be a sure-fire way to unite the fanbase and, given his undeniable quality, there is also a fair argument to suggest he is worth the inflated price tag Barcelona have set, particularly if it means getting a deal done quickly and integrating him ahead of the pre-season tour. However, with Barcelona no longer under immediate pressure to cash in on their Dutch international, you can also see why United are reluctant to be taken for a ride, particularly in the summer when they are trying to transform their transfer identity. United are doing the right thing by not wildly rushing into a deal, but soon there will need to be a point where they make a take-itor-leave-it offer for Ten Hag’s top transfer target.

De Jong is an excellent footballer, capable of a talismanic role in the new era at Old Trafford, though it is dangerous to become too fixated on him as the sole candidate for the box-to-box role this summer. United have warned they could walk away from a deal, and if no progress is made over the next week, then they might have to.