Frenkie de Jong breaks silence on why United’s attempts to sign him failed repeatedly

Manchester United have long been linked with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but the move has never materialised. The Dutchman is considered one of the finest midfielders of his generation, with his ability to dictate play earning him admirers at clubs across the continent. De Jong has been a first-team regular for the Catalans ever since arriving from Ajax in the summer of 2019. His future, though, was subject to intense speculation a couple of years ago, when Erik ten Hag was in charge at Old Trafford. The 28 year old rose through the ranks at the Johan Cruyff Arena and had played under the Dutch manager during their time together at Ajax. With United lacking control in the middle of the park, Ten Hag wanted to recruit his former prodigy to address the matter, but the long-drawn saga never saw a fruitful end. De Jong has now shed light on how the situation affected him and why he ended up staying at Camp Nou. No reason to leave Camp Nou Speaking to The Guardian, De Jong recalled thinking about a move away from Barcelona a few years ago amid interest from United and Chelsea. He said: “Of course, it’s crossed your mind at times, like: ‘OK, what should I do?’” “So as long as I’m good enough to be a starter here, to make an impact and Barcelona is at the level I want to play at – with the sense that they’ll be competing for the major trophies – then there’s no reason for me to go.” The Dutchman has registered one goal and eight assists in 35 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona this season. Frenkie de Jong Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played LaLiga221615311,549′ UEFA Champions League85-13-514′ Copa del Rey33-2–270′ Supercopa22—1154′ Total352618622,487′ Source: Transfermarkt.United remain in the market for a new defensive midfielder but De Jong is no longer among the names currently doing the rounds. Praise for Marcus Rashford While a move to United never materialised, De Jong has struck up a close bond with a player who has spent a considerable amount of time at the Theatre of Dreams. Marcus Rashford moved to Camp Nou on a season-long loan last summer and has been a revelation so far. The Englishman has shared the pitch with the Dutch midfielder 29 times already this season. De Jong even set up Rashford to score the final goal in the 4-1 win over Espanyol in LaLiga last month. The Dutchman went on to speak fondly about the United loanee, adding: “A really good guy. Open and kind and he’s also having a big impact for us on the pitch. With his speed and depth, he really adds a lot to our game. And by doing so, he also forces the opponent’s defence to drop back a bit, which creates more space for us in the middle.” Marcus Rashford Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played LaLiga2815782-1,490′ UEFA Champions League11554–579′ Copa del Rey4311–249′ Supercopa20—-32′ Total452313132-2,350′ Source: Transfermarkt.Barcelona have an option to make Rashford’s stay permanent for €30 million this summer. However, a recent report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests they are trying to get a deal done for less. Final Thoughts De Jong would have been a fine addition to the starting XI a few years ago, but there was no point pursuing a player who does not want to move to Old Trafford. Instead, the focus should be on signing a capable replacement for Casemiro this summer, with Kobbie Mainoo already showing that he could be the orchestrator United have been craving for all these years. Kobbie Mainoo’s game by numbers vs. Brentford: 86% pass accuracy 4 tackles attempted 4 tackles won4 passes into the final third 3 attempted take-ons 3 successful take-ons2 progressive carries 1 big chance created So good to watch. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/unoy1FPdWP — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 27, 2026 Featured image Denis Doyle via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.