UP DE ANTE!

Ex-Anfield chief UNITED READY WITH IMPROVED BID FOR FRENKIE

UNITED are expected to formally submit an improved bid to Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong imminently.

The Reds made an opening offer of 60million euro (£51.64m) including add-ons that was rejected by Barca, who are unwilling to suffer a loss on a player they signed for £65m three years ago.

Barcelona privately concede they cannot obtain the outlandish 100m euro Spanish outlets have quoted as their valuation of De Jong, 25, when they are prepared to sell him.

Barca are believed to want a guaranteed 75m euro (£64.55m), with add-ons to ensure De Jong’s overall fee surpasses what they paid Ajax to sign him.

New United manager Erik ten Hag has prioritised the signing of De Jong and the Reds have spent the majority of June attempting to negotiate a transfer for the Netherlands international.

Club sources say they are ‘negotiating hard’ for a fair deal for the midfielder as they believe that had they yielded to Barcelona’s initial valuation it could have affected their capacity to strengthen other areas of the squad.

Ten Hag also wants to sign Christian Eriksen, Ajax forward Antony, a centre-back and a back-up goalkeeper, with Daniel Bachmann of Waford under consideration.

United insist they have fall-back targets with a lower valuation than De Jong should they fail to prise the Dutchman from Barcelona, but they are determined to sign Ten Hag’s priority target.

De Jong is contracted to Barcelona until 2026 and has described them as his ‘dream club’, but the emergence of Pedri and Gavi could see his Camp Nou career end after only three years.

Reds don’t want