Why Manchester United's pursuit of Frenkie de Jong makes little sense

Frenkie de Jong has been on Manchester United's radar for most of the summer transfer window. The Red Devils have ceaselessly tried to convince him to make the move from Barcelona to Old Trafford.

The transfer saga involving the Dutchman has been fueled by multiple reasons; from Barcelona's financial woes to new United boss Eric ten Hag's previous association with the player during their Ajax days.

As matters stand, De Jong's future remains unclear even as both clubs are nearing the start of their campaign.

Why has this transfer dragged on for so long?

Manchester United experienced a midfield exodus over the summer as Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata, and Jesse Lingard left on free transfers. Despite the addition of Christian Eriksen and the return of Donny van de Beek, United are short of quality options in the middle of the pitch.

Barcelona, on the other hand, have been in financial turmoil of sorts with debts crossing the 1 billion mark. Regardless, the Catalan giants have made big money moves, signing the likes of Jules Kounde and Robert Lewandowski. However, the Blaugrana are on the lookout to sell certain players in a bid to bring some balance to the books.

The Dutch midfielder has been caught in a tight spot as his sale will generate much-needed money for the club. Manchester's red half remains keen on the transfer as Erik ten Hag has identified his former Ajax protege as a viable option.

De Jong, however, is reluctant to move to Old Trafford. This has created an impasse between the player and the two clubs. The Dutchman, for the time being, remains where he is and Manchester United are no closer to signing him than they were weeks ago.

Manchester United's move for De Jong does not make sense

Over the years, Manchester United have been on the wrong end of numerous transfers. Some of these transfers were quite high-profile and expensive. Big names such as Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba, and Angel di Maria amongst others failed to fulfil the lofty expectations from them and are longer at the club.

Frenkie de Jong's pursuit seems oddly familiar to some of those names. Back in 2014, United broke the bank to sign Angel Di Maria, who left Real Madrid. Despite a decent start, the Argentine failed to integrate in the team and left within a season for French club PSG, his precipitous departure burned a hole in United's pocket.

The Dutch midfielder has expressed no desire to leave Barcelona. There are also additional issues over unpaid wages that further complicate affairs.

Should United really be pursuing a player who is not keen to join them?

Under Ten Hag, Machester United need not repeat the transfer mistakes of previous years. De Jong is no doubt a fantastic player who is approaching his prime but the addition of a disgruntled player isn't ideal and affects team camaraderie.

Additionally, players who move to the Premier League often find it relatively challenging to adjust to the rugged style and high tempo of the league. And the unforgiving weather in England does nothing to make things easy.

What is next?

For now, a deal for Frenkie is still on hold, but both clubs have managed to agree on a £65 million fee. However, the agreement on personal terms with the player is where the buck stops.