Frenkie de Jong wants Manchester United move but saga could run until end of transfer window

Frenkie de Jong is holding out for deferred wages to be paid by Barcelona before joining his former manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford

Frenkie de Jong was the driving force of Erik ten Hag’s Ajax (Getty Images / The Independent)

Both Manchester United and Frenkie de Jong are standing their ground in the midfielder's protracted exit from Barcelona, with increasing expectation that the story could go until the end of the window.

Negotiations are being held up by the 25-year-old being owed €17m (£14m) in deferred wages by the Catalan club, and the latest talks have involved attempts by the Camp Nou hierarchy to restructure the deal to solve the impasse.

Having initially agreed a price of £55m with potential add-ons of £17m, United are unwilling to budge on the total offer - although there may be some leeway on the fee up front. It has been speculated that De Jong himself is still unwilling to move and, while his first choice would be to stay at Barcelona, the midfielder has naturally been in touch with Erik ten Hag, his former Ajax manager. He has told the new United boss he is willing to go if Barcelona don’t want him, but the matter of sorting his deferred wages is one fair point of principle to the midfielder.

De Jong wants the issue completely clarified. If it is not done so to his satisfaction, he is content to defy any attempt to sell him and stay.

Talks will continue, although there is an increasing feeling that the “saga” – as is being described with an eye-roll – could go right to the end of the window. One interpretation is that United are essentially caught in an impasse between Barcelona and De Jong.