One recurring theme in Manchester United’s transfer activity since Erik ten Hag took over as manager in the summer of 2022 is the signing of ten players who have competed in the Eredivisie at some point in their careers. Five players, including two new additions, have also played for him at Ajax and Utrecht, with Sofyan Amrabat being one of them.

Human, Ten-Hag, Dalot

Although fans, neutrals, and pundits have all made fun of it on several occasions, it is still something that cannot be ignored. Ten Hag favors signing players that are familiar with him or who have previously competed in the Netherlands’ top division.

At the storied Dutch club, Ten Hag’s players included the five players who are currently playing for the Red Devils. In his first season as manager, he recruited Lisandro Martinez and Antony; the previous summer, he signed Andre Onana to be his long-term first choice goalkeeper. Two other players are expected to be added to that list: Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui are almost certain to join United and will reunite with their former colleagues and manager.

Man Utd Martínez Bremer to Premier League

A sixth player has now been connected to the Old Trafford team; he might be added to that list before to the August 30 transfer deadline.

La Liga midfielder Man Utd targets

The player in question is Frenkie de Jong, a midfielder for Barcelona and the Netherlands national team. Over the past few summers, there have been rumors of the former Ajax star leaving Barcelona. The player graduated from the renowned academy of the Amsterdam club.

The Red Devils are reportedly planning to relaunch their pursuit of signing De Jong this summer, and they have reportedly made a bid of £42.6 million, according to reports from Spain obtained by TeamTalk. This follows persistent rumors from the previous two summers that Ten Hag was keen to sign his former midfield player.

The united Frenkie-de-Jong-barca man

Barca, meanwhile, is rumored to have turned down the brilliant Dutchman’s offer and is now holding out for a higher offer. Alternatively, United might make a fresh offer of £59.7 million plus £12.8 million in add-ons to persuade Blaugrana to let go of the 27-year-old, on whom they paid £65 million in 2019.

Why signing De Jong would be wise

Regretfully, De Jong’s 2023–2024 season was marred by injuries. Last season, he missed a total of 28 games for both club and country due to injuries, the last of which prevented him from competing for the Netherlands at Euro 2024.

The 27-year-old made 30 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions last season, scoring two goals from midfield in La Liga. Amazingly, he received ten yellow cards, seven of which came from 20 games in Spain’s top division.

De-Jong, Man, Barcelona, United, Kane, Ten, Hag

If De Jong joins United’s roster this summer, he might be the ideal replacement for Sander Berge and Manuel Ugarte. There are two other midfield players that United has their eye on in the middle of the park, but neither deal is thought to be progressed at this time.

The fact that the Red Devils are pursuing the Dutchman instead of the midfield players from Burnley and PSG may come as a surprise. The Barca number 21 is very much a player who thrives with the ball at his feet, in contrast to the other two targets, who are mainly defensive midfielders whose best attribute is their work off the ball.

Berge Sander for Burnley

The Barcelona player is an excellent ball handler who is incredibly deft while in control of the ball. He is also a thoughtful forward passer who can easily penetrate rival defenses. On the other hand, Burnley’s Berge is a defensive midfielder who acts like a destroyer, trying to break up play and win the ball back, while PSG’s Ugarte is an aggressive ball winner who is comparable to N’Golo Kante in many respects.

Manuel Ugarte-PSG

The statistics on FBref also show this. First, examining defensive statistics, Ugarte leads the team in tackles and interceptions per ninety minutes (6.42). Berge averages even less, at 2.96 per game, while De Jong averages just half that, at just 3.13.

Similarly, when it comes to ball recoveries, the Uruguayan leads the pack once more with 8.42. Once again, the former Ajax player comes in second with an average of 6.43, followed by the Norway international in third place with a 6.05.

Frederick Neuhaus, Frederik De Jong, West Ham

The numbers, however, clearly show how good De Jong is with the ball; he averages 3.79 progressive carries per game compared to 0.74 for Ugarte and 1.92 for Berge. The Dutchman averages 9.32, the PSG player 4.05, and the former Sheffield United midfielder hovers around the 4.91 mark in terms of his advanced passing.

Comparing the rising numbers of De Jong, Ugarte, and Berge

Stat (as of 90)

De Jong

Ugarte

Berge

advancing passes

9.32

4.05

4.91

enters the final third

10.3

4.6

3.86

enters the penalty box by passing

1.87

0.28

0.48

carries progressive

3.79

0.74

1.92

continues into the last third

2.86

1.63

1.71

Figures from FBref

In light of this, it’s intriguing that Ben Mattinson, a football commentator, said that United might be aiming for a “progressive monster” in De Jong. Though the former Ajax midfielder’s abilities are undoubtedly in possession rather than out of it, this is not to imply he isn’t a capable defender.

Other than the fact that the Dutch manager has desired a reunion with De Jong since taking over at Old Trafford two summers ago, United’s motivations for seeking to add Ten Hag’s former midfielder to their roster are still unknown. The Dutchman has been targeting a pure ball winner all summer.

Without a doubt, De Jong would raise the caliber of the Red Devils’ midfield play when they have the ball, even though it would take over £70 million to close the deal for United. It’s possible that his profile falls short of their ideal candidate—a ball-winner in the middle of the park—but there’s no denying the brilliance he brings to the team while in possession, and it would be thrilling to watch him play with that iconic red shirt.