Manchester United have struggled all summer to get a deal over the line for Frenkie de Jong and may have to turn their attention elsewhere.
The Barcelona midfielder has shown no desire to join the Premier League outfit, who are looking to bolster their options in the middle of the park. De Jong has endured ongoing wage issues at the Nou Camp, which have complicated the deal, whilst he also wants to remain playing in the Champions League.
With the window soon coming to a close, United will have to assess their options and Fabian Ruiz has been identified as a possible alternative according to GOAL. The Napoli midfielder would appear to tick similar boxes to De Jong as Erik ten Hag looks for a new race in the middle of the park - and the player has just a year left on his deal which is set to bring down his price.
The Spaniard made his name at Real Betis, debuting in 2014, where he played for four years. The La Liga outfit were then in the second tier with Ruiz helping them gain promotion in 2015, before excelling. Ruiz's breakout campaign in 2017/18 saw him score the winning goal that ensured Europa League qualification for Betis.
That attracted the attention of Napoli, who spent €30m to secure the player's services. The Spaniard has been a regular in his four seasons in Naples, helping the club win the Coppa Italia in 2020 as they continue to operate in Europe. It was at Napoli that Ruiz caught the eye of Spain boss Luis Enqirue, making his international debut against in the Faroe Islands.
It came after he helped his country with the U21 Euros back in 2019, during which his performances saw him named Player of the Tournament - an award previously won by the likes of Thiago, Juan Mata and Andrea Pirlo.
Have your say! Do Man Utd need to sign a central midfielder? Tell us what you think here.
Ruiz, much like De Jong, is a ball-playing midfielder, who is equally capable of playing further forward as well as at the base of midfield. Carlo Ancelotti was the man to sign the Spaniard and has previously said: "He is a great player and showed fantastic pace and presence. When we have the ball, he is very focused and knows his position so well.”
The now Real Madrid boss also highlighted how Ruiz is capable of slotting into different roles, stating: “Even if he is playing in a slightly different position to last year, he has settled in so well. He is a big signing for our season. He is a player who is massively underestimated."
