Frenkie de Jong insists he is ‘very happy’ at Barcelona and wants to stay at the Nou Camp for ‘many years’ amid fresh speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag wanted to bring De Jong to Old Trafford last summer and United submitted multiple offers for the Netherlands international.
Barcelona were willing to sell De Jong but the player essentially refused to leave, forcing Ten Hag to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.
Manchester United signed Casemiro and Christian Eriksen last summer but are still interested in a deal for De Jong, who joined Barca from Ajax in 2019.
Ten Hag is expected to sign a new midfielder this summer and De Jong will likely be at the top of his wish-list.
But Manchester United may need to end their pursuit of De Jong, who says he is ‘very happy’ at Barcelona and planning to stay at the Spanish giants for ‘many years’.
‘I’m very calm here, very happy at Barcelona,’ he told Spanish radio station RAC1. ‘I hope to stay at Barca for many years.’
De Jong was part of the Barcelona side that were knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United last month.
Speaking before the first leg at the Nou Camp, Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes urged his former club to revive their interest in De Jong.
‘Yeah of course,’ Scholes told BT Sport when asked if United should launch a fresh move for the Dutchman.
‘He is wonderful footballer, I disagree slightly with Owen [Hargreaves] thinking he is better in the pivot position as a Busquets type.
‘I think he was probably brought here to replace Busquets but Busquets keeps going. I think he is more suited to that role.
‘I don’t think he [de Jong] likes playing in that forward role. But in my opinion he is better in that holding role where he replaces Busquets.’
Former Manchester United midfielder Hargreaves added: ‘You would love to see Frenkie de Jong play at Old Trafford, he can play deeper as a pivot or a little bit further forward which I think is his best position.
‘A fantastic footballer, can dribble and I think United fans will be looking out for him today but I’m sure all the big teams in the Premier League would love to have this guy because he makes you that much better.’
Manchester United were thrashed 7-0 by Liverpool in their last Premier League fixture and return to domestic action on Sunday against Southampton.
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