On Wednesday night, Erik ten Hag wrapped up the Eredivisie title for Ajax with a 5-0 win and he now only has one game remaining before he embarks on the next part of his career with Manchester United. And when the Dutch manager arrives at Old Trafford, fans will be hoping that he shakes up the status quo.
And it seems that Ten Hag might look to one of his old lieutenants to solve some of the issues at the club. Paul Pogba is set to leave the club on a free transfer this summer and he will need to be replaced, not with a like-for-like signing, but with an equally talented player.
United hope this player could be Frenkie de Jong, who played under Ten Hag at Ajax before he moved to Barcelona in 2019. United are interested in a move for the player and have contacted the Spanish club to ask about the player's availability.
READ MORE: Manchester United weighing up Frenkie de Jong transfer
Reports in Spain had suggested that a deal to see De Jong join United was '95 per cent done' but those seem to be wide of the mark. However, with positive news surrounding a potential deal for the Dutch midfielder, Xavi fans are understandably excited.
De Jong's career at Barcelona has been stop-start. When he first moved to the Nou Camp he was a revelation but multiple changes in manager have left him unsure of his role and at times seen him played deeper where he is less effective.
However Barcelona's most recent manager Xavi is a big fan of the player, saying in a recent interview: "For me, Frenkie is a great player. I think he's taken a step forward since we arrived. He's a different player, more dynamic.
"He is happy here. There are a lot of games, and we'll have to rotate in midfield as it's very demanding physically but he's important. He's playing at a very good level. He's very demanding on himself. He's a great professional and he'll keep improving."
Barcelona, however, are still in a financially precarious situation, and if they want to sign more players this summer and also renew contracts, they'll need to balance the books. And given De Jong is their most valuable asset and on high wages, it makes sense that they would consider selling the player.
There seems a long way to go but this won't stop United fans fantasising about a midfield including De Jong and a new defensive midfielder. Here are a few of their replies on Twitter to the news:
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