Barcelona have arranged a meeting with the agents of Frenkie de Jong in a last-ditch attempt to force him to accept a transfer offer from Manchester United.
De Jong has been the subject of a fresh approach from United at the end of a lengthy summer transfer saga. However, United's signing of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, which was confirmed on Friday evening, has ended their urgency to invest in the position.
However, Mirror Football exclusively reported that United's pursuit of De Jong is not over as the club will continue to back new boss Erik ten Hag in the transfer market in order to challenge on all fronts this season, with Antony and Cody Gakpo, of Ajax and PSV Eindhoven respectively, also on their shortlist.
Barca have already demanded of De Jong that he reduce his salary by half or leave the club, with the treatment of him being slammed as like the "mafia" by former Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart. Ex-Barca striker Gary Lineker, meanwhile, has criticised the Blaugrana for treating the midfielder "like a piece of meat".
Ten Hag recently instructed United to remain patient on a deal after holding fresh talks with the player but Premier League rivals Chelsea are believed to be becoming increasingly confident of launching a late move for the midfield star.
De Jong is one of the highest earners at the Camp Nou and the club also owes him additional payments from amortizations and bonuses linked to his contract, with several deferred salary amounts dating back to the Covid pandemic two years ago.
Have Your Say! Should Man Utd continue their pursuit of De Jong after signing Casemiro ? Tell us what you think here.
De Jong is owed a whopping €17million in amortizations and back payments from the club and his future is unlikely to be resolved until that amount is settled one way or the other. The central midfielder's representatives Ali Dursun and Hasan Centikaya met with Barca chiefs earlier this month and the club have ordered a fresh meeting this week as they reissue their ultimatum of the player either reducing his salary by half or accepting United's offer to move, as per Diario Sport.
Indeed, the report claims that De Jong is one of six players whom Barca are desperate to sell in the closing 10 days of the transfer window. They also are scrambling to offload Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Memphis Depay, Sergino Dest, Samuel Umtiti and Martin Braithwaite, with huge frustration at the club that they have been unable to do so thus far.
De Jong started Barca's 4-1 win at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday evening in the absence of the suspended Sergio Busquets, but the club are well stocked in that position and are willing to facilitate his exit in the next week.
