De Jong could get a good tune from Fred
THERE is so much excitement about Frenkie de Jong’s proposed move to United that it is easy to get carried away with the possibilities that might lie ahead next.
A new manager and a new star signing bring with them huge dreams of a return to the Premier League summit, playing effortless football as they breeze past opposition teams.
But the harsh reality is that Erik ten Hag is taking over a side which needs far more than just the Barcelona midfielder if they are to achieve any of their goals. De Jong’s intelligence and composure are two key attributes that Ten Hag will look to harvest next season as part of his new-look team, though the big challenge will be making sure the Netherlands international has the supporting act to take centre stage.
The 25-year-old wants to be loved at Old Trafford and to feel appreciated after being told by Barcelona that his dream move was now at an end. In order to do so, he needs a manager who trusts him and Ten Hag is certainly that.
De Jong wants to have freedom to drop deep and collect the ball from defenders, but also wants to be relieved of defensive duties with permission to embark on runs up the pitch, breaking lines with his passes and beating his opponents in one-versus-one duels.
“His quality is that he ensures the ball gets into the final third,” Ten Hag admitted three years ago.
“He is an adventurer, always on the move. Often with the ball, sometimes without the ball.
“Can you put him at six as the only link? He leaves the middle of the pitch too often for that. And if you don’t give him the freedom to go forward, you won’t get the best out of his game.”
Ten Hag knows better than most how to get the best out of the midfield diamond, but doing so is easier said than done with the United players at his disposal.
De Jong operates best when he is given the freedoms he craves and that means having a selfless player alongside him who does not mind sacrificing themselves for the good of the team.
In order to properly unleash the Barcelona man next season, the pressure could lie with Fred to do the dirty work in midfield, a task he admits he is very happy to do if it is for United’s benefit.
“I know I’m not the best player, not the most technical, but I give my blood and my life every time I’m on the pitch,” he said earlier in the year.
“As we say in Brazil, I carry the piano for the artists to play.”
With De Jong viewed as the conductor tasked with getting a tune out of United’s ordinary orchestra, Fred could well be the roadie with the thankless task of supporting him along the way.
Reds fans might raise their eyebrows at the lack of a specialist defensive midfielder being targeted right now, but there is a train of thought that they might not need one if they weren’t losing the ball so easily and so often in the first place.
Instead of signing a designated midfield anchor, Ten Hag could well address the defensive frailty by focusing on a style of play that is built around ball retention and well-drilled pressing play out of possession.
Fred has a new piano to carry.