Oscar Garcia: De Jong is overpaid

Manchester United have been chasing Frenkie de Jong for a number of years, but the Red Devils have been warned against signing the midfielder by a former Barcelona coach

Manchester United have been warned off trying to sign Frenkie de Jong by a former Barcelona coach. The Red Devils have been linked with the Dutch midfielder since Erik ten Hag pinpointed him as a priority target following his arrival in 2022.

The former United manager was eager to reunite with his former player after their successful spell together at Ajax, with reports suggesting Barcelona were willing to offload the star. However, with De Jong determined to stay in Spain, he turned down United.

Three years on, De Jong is approaching the end of his Barca contract, meaning, as it stands, he will be a free agent next summer unless the Catalans try and recoup a transfer fee in January.

Therefore, he could soon come back onto United's radar if Ruben Amorim, or whoever is in charge, decides he would bolster the team's midfield. However, Oscar Garcia, a former Barca youth coach, has advised against signing De Jong.

He argued that while De Jong is a talented player, he doesn't justify his wages. Speaking on Cadena SER's Què t'hi Jugues show during Barcelona's 3-1 victory at Real Oviedo on Thursday, Garcia said: "I think he's better than you say and worse than what he's paid to do.

"He's a good player, but he's not the typical footballer we've always had in that position in front of the defence. And he's not decisive enough to be one of the highest-paid.

"Normally, the highest paid are the ones who decide games. Yes, he's a very good player, but I don't think he can decide a match."

De Jong is one of the top earners in the squad, with only Robert Lewandowski earning a higher salary. According to SPORT, Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants to maintain the terms of De Jong's current contract if he stays at the club.

Despite Garcia's criticism, De Jong has made a good start to the season, with seven appearances across La Liga and the Champions League. Barca are currently second in La Liga, two points behind Real Madrid but with a game in hand.

United were linked with a host of top-class midfielders in the summer but failed to add to their ranks in that position. If Amorim is still at the helm come January, he will surely be looking to strengthen that area of the pitch.

The Portuguese coach bought himself some more time on Saturday by leading United to a much-needed 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Old Trafford.