Transfer Centre

Frenkie de Jong agents 'tell Barcelona the midfielder has no intention of leaving'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 13 July 2022

Frenkie de Jong's agents Ali Dursun and Hasan Cetinkaya tell Barcelona that their client has no intention of leaving Camp Nou, according to a report.

Frenkie de Jong's agents Ali Dursun and Hasan Cetinkaya have reportedly told Barcelona that their client has no intention of leaving Camp Nou during this summer's transfer window.

The Netherlands international has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United since the end of May, with the Red Devils spending the last six weeks attempting to sign the midfielder.

Man United chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough were both in Barcelona earlier this week, with the pair said to be negotiating a deal for De Jong.

However, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Dutchman's agents Dursun and Cetinkaya have informed Barcelona that their client does not want to depart the club.

Romano claims that a proposed deal to take De Jong to Man United has now stalled, with the 20-time English champions struggling to convince the 25-year-old to move to Old Trafford.

Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong warms up in May 2022 © Reuters

"I prefer to stay with Barcelona. Barcelona is just my dream club. Also from a young age. I just said it too. I've never regretted my choice despite the fact that I had hoped for more in terms of prizes than I've achieved so far. But I have never regretted my choice," the midfielder told ESPN earlier this summer.

"You are always flattered when teams show interest in you as a player," De Jong also told reporters in June. "But I think I am at the biggest club in the world at the moment and feel fine there so there is no news."

Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has recently said on two separate occasions that the former Ajax youngster is not for sale despite the recent speculation.

"There are clubs that want him, not just United. We have no intention of selling him, he wants to stay," Laporta recently told reporters. "Frenkie is considered as one of the best midfielders in the world by all the experts. We are happy to have him."

The president later said at the unveiling of Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie: "Frenkie is not for sale. He is a Barcelona player. We don't want to transfer him."

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong pictured in October 2021 © Reuters

Barcelona are under pressure to make a big sale this summer, though, with the club bidding to bring both Leeds United's Raphinha and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski to Camp Nou.

When asked about De Jong on Monday during a press conference, Man United boss Erik ten Hag told reporters: "I never talk about players who are not under contract of Man United, players from different clubs, so I cannot tell anything about this issue."

De Jong also still has another four years left to run on his contract at Barcelona, and Romano claims that the Dutchman has no intention of accepting a salary reduction at the club, which has allegedly been discussed as a possible solution to the problem.

The former Ajax youngster made 46 appearances for Barcelona last season, contributing four goals and five assists in the process, while he has represented the club on 138 occasions since arriving in the summer of 2016.

De Jong is believed to be Man United's leading transfer target this summer, with the club seemingly prepared to commit a large portion of their budget to signing him.