Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap

Frenkie to United?


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Tarrou

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Even if this isn't dead, a sensible club would 100% be looking to sign another midfielder right now as a contingency. We need depth in that area and it worries me that we aren't looking at anybody.
Yeah I agree with this. Adding a cheaper midfielder to the squad who won't be FDJ quality but will easily improve on McTominay shouldn't be that difficult. We need the depth anyway.
 

Plant0x84

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Nothing changes after a month and a half of negotiations

You: "All according to plan"

Frenkie says he doesn't want to leave Barcelona, in public, several times

"All according to plan, he secretly already agreed to come."

Frenkie named in Barcelona's pre-season tour

"All according to plan, it's just poker."

Transfer window closes and Frenkie's still at Barcelona

"
All according to plan to force a move in Jan." - probably you
He won’t need a move in Jan, he’ll already be a United player by then. Other than that I see no problem with what @Berbaclass has said. He just not a mindless sheep following every nonsensical tweet or a headless chicken over stuff that you would expect to happen.
‘Man in doing his job for current employer shock!’ I mean, it’s honestly pathetic.
 

Offside

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Find it very bizarre people criticising others for having 0 faith in our recruitment team. The recent evidence is beyond horrendous.

It is perfectly reasonable to think we’ve been chasing someone for 10 weeks who has 0 interest in joining with no backup plan. I’m inclined to think that’s exactly what’s happening here. We should have moved on a while ago.

Any sensible club would have other strong targets. I’ll probably get criticism for not having a definitive list of targets myself.
 

Keefy18

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Find it very bizarre people criticising others for having 0 faith in our recruitment team. The recent evidence is beyond horrendous.

It is perfectly reasonable to think we’ve been chasing someone for 10 weeks who has 0 interest in joining with no backup plan. I’m inclined to think that’s exactly what’s happening here. We should have moved on a while ago. Any sensible club would have other strong targets.
Completely agree.

Next Friday should absolutely be the end of it, one way or another.

People saying we can go down to Deadline day are talking waffle! We definitely can't.
 

redcucumber

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If it's as simple as Barca paying De Jong what he's owed, why aren't they? It does feel like they are buying themselves time but I'm not entirely sure why. They need the money, De Jong is their biggest most sellable asset, they are the only ones that can end the impasse. And yet, they aren't... I know they are a bunch of broke ass bitches these days but they are taking the piss with this.

Disagree that we need to move on as there's clearly willing from De Jong's camp and you'd imagine he's given the greenlight to ten Hag. Would be good to get this wrapped up sooner rather than later, though.
 

Brownie85

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It depends entirely on whats said in private. If this is a wild goose chase, United's management should probably be sacked. Hopefully, they have a better understanding what needs to happen for FdJ to leave. Maybe they know that in the end of the day its about money and that one side can pick up the tap.


yes. its barca we are talking about. Most clubs would have acted differently to prevent this situation, but they are to some extend willing to role the dice. I don't think anyone in the public has all the information to really evaluate the situation. We'll have to wait until the la liga salary limit is announced. Laporta has to have at least some idea how to get these players registered even if de jong falls through.
I think they know full well whats required and they've received assurances that he'll come when it's all sorted. If they haven't then it's going to look REALLY bad on ten Hag and the board and there will be repercussions felt for quite a while, especially with the fanbase, which they really don't want to do. This is the start of a new era apparently, so they'll want to show that we're really making headway and changing our ways. Not a great way to start if there are no assurances
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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We'll still get him.

And this thread will break Pogba's record for pages once it sets in that we're getting him.
 

Bertie Wooster

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The club have said they're in it for the long haul.

We don't need to panic, we can wait until the end of the window.

If we sign him great, if we don't we move on.
It's not like we haven't tried as much as possible.

Maybe FDJ has been taking ETH for a ride, if that's the case he then we won't be going back for him when the club is on the up again.

It is what it is, lets put our faith in Savage/Iqballer.
True. But if we 'wait untill the end of the window' and don't get him, we don't just move on, we miss out (on a replacement in a key position). As I can't see us having another option almost as good as de Jong fully lined up who's been prepared to wait until that late in the window as second choice.

Obviously the club know how close it is, and how willing de Jong is on coming, far better than anyone here. And, as plenty say either way, we've committed so much into it that it is either stubborn madness despite him really not wanting to come, or they've got every reason to believe / know that he's interested in the move.

If it's the former, we can't afford to keep holding out on an off chance for so long that we risk missing out on Plan B. If it's the latter, as we all hope, and it's just the deferred wages issue, then we should definitely keep pushing for as long as possible to get the transfer over the line and ensure ETH gets the man he wants. With so many conflicting reports, and so many transfer mistakes over the last few years (albeit under different people), it's hard to have 100% confidence that it's the latter and not the former. But we've done well so far this window so let's hope it is the latter and that it's another that gets successfully completed.
 
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WirralRed

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Barca couldn’t exactly leave him out the squad could they, it would massively weaken their negotiation position, and he still is a Barca player. Will be Interesting tresting how much playing time he will get.
 

sglowrider

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The suggestions to walk away and sign neves an entirely different and inferior player are so fecking tedious. If this is all about deferred wages like Stone and ducker are saying then it will be resolved. You don’t walk away and sign a far worse player because the fans are impatient children in need a new shiny toy fix.

Now if it isn’t about deferred wages and he genuinely will not leave regardless then I reserve the right to call the club monumentally incompetent. However, I can’t imagine we’re that stupid. It makes zero sense.
But... but... but Frenkie has said a thousand times here that he doesn't want to come.
 

Greck

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Luckhurst is right. All this for a player who doesn't want to join. They aren't even paying him his full wages and he would still rather that than come. Even without barca being twats this is one transfer I'd be happy to see an alternative. Get a club target but keep an eye on this one as well. They can ring us when they have their shit together.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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The suggestions to walk away and sign neves an entirely different and inferior player are so fecking tedious. If this is all about deferred wages like Stone and ducker are saying then it will be resolved. You don’t walk away and sign a far worse player because the fans are impatient children in need a new shiny toy fix.

Now if it isn’t about deferred wages and he genuinely will not leave regardless then I reserve the right to call the club monumentally incompetent. However, I can’t imagine we’re that stupid. It makes zero sense.
If this is somehow true, then we're doomed yet again.

I highly doubt that's the case.

We have assurances he'll come if the deferred wages sticking point is resolved.
 

Wilt

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We're still signing him though?
Sorry, but I just don’t see it happening.

Nobody seems to know, but my guess would be if he was to leave he’s more likely to go to Chelsea …..they’re CL.
 

Brownie85

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Nothing changes after a month and a half of negotiations

You: "All according to plan"

Frenkie says he doesn't want to leave Barcelona, in public, several times

"All according to plan, he secretly already agreed to come."

Frenkie named in Barcelona's pre-season tour

"All according to plan, it's just poker."

Transfer window closes and Frenkie's still at Barcelona

"
All according to plan to force a move in Jan." - probably you



My thoughts exactly. We can easily negotiate paying his wages or agreeing some sort of deal with Barcelona if we're that desperate for him, because it's obvious we're desperate for him. The deal isn't happening because Frenkie isn't interested.
Really does show how impatient people are in here and how little they know about transfers.
It really isn't like Football Manager, there are lots of things going on behind the scenes that can cause transfers to drag on, you just have to use common sense and try to see things for what they really are.

Let me ask, how are you so certain that Frenkie isn't interested? Are you close friends with him? Do you have the United and Barca offices wiretapped? Do you have Frenkies phone tapped too? Funny how so many random posters on here seem to know more than the actual clubs. Maybe a few of you should apply to United to be negotiatiors, with all your amazing inside knowledge?
 

Adisa

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That's the biggest issue here. He is quite clearly not that thrilled to be coming here and had we learnt from our mistakes in the past, we should not be chasing players like him. But since we haven't, might as well try our best to convince him then...
The below seems a reasonable opinion. Part of this reset in approach should be putting an end to targets who come here out of nothing less than obligation.
I do not believe for one second Erik Ten Hag is forcing the club to buy a player he has private access to, if he doesn't believe the player is keen on joining. It defies everything we have learnt about the man.
Frenkie De Jong is doing what every employee would do. Barca made De Jong sign a contract with nearly 60% of his wages deferred to the last three years of his contract and are now telling him to feck off. They're fecking him. No matter how much I loved United, I would do the same.
You're naive if you don't believe FdJ and ETH are not speaking in private.
What I have grievance with is the club putting an open ended date on when this deal needs to be done. We need to set a deadline.
 

hellhunter

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Deep lying playmakers
1- De Jong.
2- Veratti.
3- Fabian Ruiz.
4- Kimmich.

only attainable option other than De Jong is Ruiz.
Kimmich is better than all of them, but we're only getting him once he's old and semi retired.

Is Fabian Ruiz really good? Keep hearing his name mentioned but know nothing about him
 

Brownie85

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Sorry, but I just don’t see it happening.

Nobody seems to know, but my guess would be if he was to leave he’s more likely to go to Chelsea.
Based on what? The fact Chelsea were interested and their interest seems to have dried up?
Or the fact they really don't need him due to having players in his position already?

What reasoning do you have for this statement? Spanish media is my main guess
 

Plant0x84

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Even if this isn't dead, a sensible club would 100% be looking to sign another midfielder right now as a contingency. We need depth in that area and it worries me that we aren't looking at anybody.
Maybe we are. I agree it might not be a bad idea, but then which position do you neglect if you have to buy an extra midfielder? I’d wager the lack of movement in midfield means we are pretty confident about Frenkie before September. Let’s have a little resolve.
 

Rolaholic

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Agreed, truly can't imagine that not being the case. ETH seems the no nonsense but sensible and level-headed type.

The same way we couldn't and wouldn't have chased Sancho for 2 years without assurances he'd join, I don't see that not being the case with De Jong
 

sglowrider

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Find it very bizarre people criticising others for having 0 faith in our recruitment team. The recent evidence is beyond horrendous.

It is perfectly reasonable to think we’ve been chasing someone for 10 weeks who has 0 interest in joining with no backup plan. I’m inclined to think that’s exactly what’s happening here. We should have moved on a while ago.

Any sensible club would have other strong targets. I’ll probably get criticism for not having a definitive list of targets myself.
You should also be asking the question of whether ETH has actually spoken to Frenkie? Maybe ETH has no clue as to what Frenkie is thinking? Doesnt even have his phone number?

Maybe it was all a wild ass goose chase? I bet ETH doesn't even know Frenkie.
 

hellhunter

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Adisa

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I truly believe that if ten Hag is that desperate for de Jong, United will end up paying the €17m and de Jong will come.
Don't get me wrong, this absolutely shouldn't happen, but if ten Hag sees him as intergral to his rebuild, then i imagine that it'll be done. Should we do that... no chance but i truly do see it happening.

Plus you have to remember, Barca have a wage cap, they need to get below that before registering players i believe, with de Jong taking a huge amount of that up, it'll be difficult to register anyone new
We would be paying FDJ close to half a million a week. We should never accept paying Barca's debt. It won't happen.
 

Adam-Utd

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Can we though?

Are you suggesting ETH succeeds with another season of McFred?

We need a proper ball playing CM along with Eriksen to push these lads down the pecking order.

If we wait this out right to the end of the window and for any number of reasons the deal falls apart, we are left scrambling to find a late replacement.

The selling club knows how much we have to invest in a CM, They will likely request more due to the late request of buying their player and leaving them without a replacement.

We really should not go past next Friday at all to give ourselves another 6 weeks to source an alternate and not find ourselves panic buying and overpaying.

If we have to go another season then so be it. We wait for the right person.

Eriksen, Fred, Mctominay, DVB, Savage, Iqbal may not be world class but it's hardly the worst in the world.

Sometimes you miss out on targets and that gives another a chance. I've really liked what the 2 young lads have shown so far, they could progress to be as good as FDJ.

Is it frustrating? sure - but we've missed out on bigger names before and still done OK.
 

Adam-Utd

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True. But if we 'wait untill the end of the window' and don't get him, we don't just move on, we miss out (on a replacement in a key position). As I can't see us having another option almost as good as de Jong fully lined up who's been prepared to wait until that late in the window as second choice.

Obviously the club know how close it is, and how willing de Jong is on coming, far better than anyone here. And, as plenty say either way, we've committed so much into it that it is either stubborn madness despite him really not wanting to come, or they've got every reason to believe / know that he's interested in the move.

If it's the former, we can't afford to keep holding out on an off chance for so long that we risk missing out on Plan B. If it's the latter, as we all hope, and it's just the deferred wages issue, then we should definitely keep pushing for as long as possible to get the transfer over the line and ensure ETH gets the man he wants. With so many conflicting reports, and so many transfer mistakes over the last few years (albeit under different people), it's hard to have 100% confidence that it's the latter and not the former. But we've done well so far this window so let's hope it is the latter and that it's another that gets successfully completed.
That's up to ETH to decide I guess. He might think from what he's seen of Savage/Iqbal so far that we aren't that desperate for reinforcements.

I'm sure if the deal isn't looking like happening we will move onto other targets, but we might have to be patient and wait.

Sometimes you just have to put faith in what you've got, i'd quite like to see Savage/Iqbal given more of a chance. Their pre season form is warranting that.
 
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