Frenkie de Jong's purported transfer to Manchester United is being complicated by wages owed the player by Barcelona, a new report has revealed. The move to Old Trafford which has dragged on for weeks is nowhere near completion, with a £17m deferred wage debt yet to be settled.
Negotiations between Manchester United and Barca for Frenkie de Jong has dragged on for months although the two sides have apparently agreed on a fee. An amount in the excess of £56.2million hd reportedly been accepted for the Dutch international, and the payment structure was the only bit that was being discussed by the two clubs.
However, club president of the Blaugrana, Joan Laporta, has come out to cast doubt on the said development in talks, stating that the player is not for sale. Addressing the press o Wednesday, he revealed that the Camp Nou outfit was bent on keeping the midfielder at the club despite interest from a number of clubs. He subsequently proceeded to state that the former Ajax star was welcome to stay but will be required to accept a new proposal which hints at a significant cut to his salary.
Against this backdrop, Spanish publication AS stated that it will be unlikely for De Jong to continue at Barcelona based on the new offer. Now, according to the Telegraph in UK, while a transfer to Manchester United is expected, the process has been complicated by arrears that remain unpaid to the player.
During the financial crisis that emerged as a result of Covid-19, Barca negotiated deferment of salary payment with the midfielder and the rest of their squad member. However, the club is yet to recover fully from the financial turmoil and are to fulfil their obligation of settling the £17m deferred wage debt.
Meanwhile, De Jong's agent is reportedly pursuing Barcelona for the payment of the debt, with the club also looking for a formula to please all parties. Although a resolution is yet to be found, reports from Spain have indicated that the player is constantly in touch with new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag.
