Barcelona are reportedly keen to sell Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong this summer as they have concerns about whether they can afford to pay his wages over the next four years of his contract.
Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag has identified the 25-year-old as his primary midfield target ahead of the new campaign, following the departures of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic.
Man United have been in talks with Barca for some time, and although an initial €65m (£56.1m) fee has allegedly been agreed between the two clubs, the Catalan giants are holding out for around €20m (£17.2m) in add-ons.
Despite Barcelona president Joan Laporta stating that the club have no intention of selling De Jong, Marca claims that the La Liga outfit may be forced to part ways with the Dutchman due to their financial predicament.
The report adds that Barca are due to pay De Jong £75m in wages until his contract expires in June 2026, including up to £12m per year in performance-related bonuses.
De Jong is understood to have reduced his salary following the coronavirus pandemic, but due to the terms in his current contract, the midfielder could see his wages double before the beginning of the 2023-24 season.
Since joining Barca from Ajax for around £77m in the summer of 2019, De Jong has made 137 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and registering 17 assists.
Oliver Thomas
