Erik ten Hag will move onto other midfield options if Manchester United are unable to get a deal over the line for Frenkie de Jong by the end of next week, according to reports. De Jong has been identified as a priority target this summer and Barcelona appear willing to negotiate a move.
A fee around the £75million mark has been outlined for the Netherlands international. However, cost is not a main concern for United as they attempt to recruit De Jong as part of their summer rebuild.
United must convince De Jong to move away from the Nou Camp despite having failed to earn Champions League qualification — although his existing relationship with Ten Hag could be a significant factor. De Jong progressed through the Ajax system under Ten Hag and burst onto the European scene with him in Amsterdam.
READ MORE: Roy Keane has given Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain verdict amid Manchester United links
De Jong has spent the past three seasons with the cash-strapped Catalan giants. His future there is still up in the air and, according to reports from The Mirror on Sunday afternoon, Ten Hag would be willing to switch his attention to other signings if there is no progress made in the coming days.
Elsewhere, key figures in the Old Trafford boardroom have reportedly drawn a line under tentative interest in Real Madrid star Marco Asensio over concerns with his £43million asking price. Asensio only has 12 months left to run on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu, although it's claimed he's been offered extended terms.
AC Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham are understood to be monitoring his contract situation. However, there will be no follow-up pursuit from United in their search for a forward.
El Mundo Deportivo report that United made contact with Real over the player, but that interest has been negated with The Mirror suggesting £43million was seen as too much money to part with for his services.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
