Man Utd were always facing an uphill battle to complete ‘fundamental’ transfer amid fresh update

Manchester United’s Fenkie de Jong chase has been complicated from the start.

United just won’t give up in their bid to land the Barcelona star, who is playing hard to get this summer.

Reports claim the Red Devils have struck a deal with Barcelona, but de Jong is not entertaining a move.

In his latest update, Fabrizio Romano has said: “I want to clarify one thing, Frenkie is not refusing Manchester United, he’s refusing to leave Barcelona it’s something different.

“He respects Manchester United. So the point is not Man United or these kinds of stories, it’s about Barca.

“He wants to continue with Barca he wants to play for Barca and he loves the city. He bought a new home a few weeks ago in Barcelona, so you know, he just wants to stay this is the point.

“But my opinion is pretty clear. The Manchester United proposal is a very good one and you have Erik ten Hag, the chance to play in the Premier League, the best league in the world. So it’s a very, very good one.

“But I know that Frankie really loves Barcelona. It’s his dream. It was his dream to play for Barcelona. So I understand his position.”

The report comes after de Jong made his position pretty clear earlier in the summer, saying: “You’re always flattered when teams show interest in you as a player but I am at the biggest club in the world at the moment and I feel fine there, so no news.”

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has also followed up earlier comments, claiming de Jong is not for sale, by suggesting the club don’t need to sell the midfielder, even with their financial difficulties.

“It’s not true we being are forced to sell Frenkie de Jong, that’s not correct,” Laporta said, as per Marca.

“Frenkie’s trip to the United States will be decided by Xavi and I understand he will travel.”

Meanwhile, de Jong remains a key part of Xavi Hernandez’s plans at Camp Nou.

The Barca boss said back in March: “(He is) fundamental and a starter, as always, but we have to see the economic situation, not only with Frenkie, but in general.

“We know what the economic situation is in order to start taking decisions.”

With de Jong wanting to stay, with Barca not forcing him to go, and with Xavi still placing the midfielder at the centre of his plans, this was always going to be a tough deal for United to pull off.

The question is, when will the Red Devils call it a day? There is still plenty of time remaining in the summer window, but United can’t afford to fall behind, and especially not when it comes to midfield, having lost two key central players this summer.