Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap

[Bluelion7]

So basically Chelsea will submit an offer of he says yes to us?

Sounds more like “Yeah, he’s a good player. We would submit an offer if we knew he was willing to come here”

That seems like the rational position to take, really.

I still don’t think I buy it though. Does he not play essentially the same position as Conor, who we are trying to fit in to our plans as is?

I don’t think it’s financial leverage, but it still feels like we are being used as leverage here somehow.

 

[Eplel]

I hear that his wife's boyfriend's son doesn't wanna come to Manchester so we got to deliberate on that for about 200 pages before resolution.

 

[tenpoless]

Barca has made a great transfer window when it comes to value for the money

02/19​	​	Jean-Clair Todibo	DF​	Toulouse FC
01/19​	​	Kevin-Prince Boateng	MF​	Sassuolo Calcio
01/19​	​	Jeison Murillo	DF​	Valencia CF
01/19​	​	Paulinho	MF​	Guangzhou FC
08/18​	​	Arturo Vidal	MF​	Bayern München
07/18​	​	Malcom	FW​	Girondins Bordeaux
07/18​	​	Clément Lenglet	DF​	Sevilla FC
07/18​	​	Arthur	MF​	Grêmio Porto Alegre
07/18​	​	Douglas	DF​	SL Benfica
07/18​	​	Marlon	DF​	OGC Nice
07/18​	​	Munir	FW​	CD Alavés
07/18​	​	Rafinha	MF​	Inter

02/20​	​	Martin Braithwaite	FW​	CD Leganés
01/20​	​	Arda Turan	MF​	İstanbul Başakşehir
08/19​	​	Junior Firpo	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Antoine Griezmann	FW​	Atlético Madrid
07/19​	​	Adriàn Ortolà	GK​	Deportivo La Coruña
07/19​	​	Cucurella	MF​	SD Eibar
07/19​	​	Douglas	DF​	Sivasspor
07/19​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Neto	GK​	Valencia CF

02/22​	​	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	FW​	Arsenal FC
01/22​	​	Adama Traoré	FW​	Wolverhampton Wanderers
08/21​	​	Luuk de Jong	FW​	Sevilla FC
07/21​	​	Yusuf Demir	FW​	Rapid Wien
07/21​	​	Sergio Agüero	FW​	Manchester City
07/21​	​	Memphis Depay	FW​	Olympique Lyon
07/21​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/21​	​	Eric García	DF​	Manchester City U23
07/21​	​	Guillem Jaime	DF​	Gimnàstic
07/21​	​	Monchu	MF​	Girona FC

Add Coutinho to that list and it'll be a list of waste of money.

 

[The Dane]

What’s the point in building your team around a player who is not available for pre season training. Give Barca and FDJ an ultimatum that brings him here before the start of the season or forget about him and move on.

 

[hellhunter]

02/19​	​	Jean-Clair Todibo	DF​	Toulouse FC
01/19​	​	Kevin-Prince Boateng	MF​	Sassuolo Calcio
01/19​	​	Jeison Murillo	DF​	Valencia CF
01/19​	​	Paulinho	MF​	Guangzhou FC
08/18​	​	Arturo Vidal	MF​	Bayern München
07/18​	​	Malcom	FW​	Girondins Bordeaux
07/18​	​	Clément Lenglet	DF​	Sevilla FC
07/18​	​	Arthur	MF​	Grêmio Porto Alegre
07/18​	​	Douglas	DF​	SL Benfica
07/18​	​	Marlon	DF​	OGC Nice
07/18​	​	Munir	FW​	CD Alavés
07/18​	​	Rafinha	MF​	Inter

02/20​	​	Martin Braithwaite	FW​	CD Leganés
01/20​	​	Arda Turan	MF​	İstanbul Başakşehir
08/19​	​	Junior Firpo	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Antoine Griezmann	FW​	Atlético Madrid
07/19​	​	Adriàn Ortolà	GK​	Deportivo La Coruña
07/19​	​	Cucurella	MF​	SD Eibar
07/19​	​	Frenkie de Jong	MF​	AFC Ajax
07/19​	​	Douglas	DF​	Sivasspor
07/19​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Neto	GK​	Valencia CF

02/22​	​	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	FW​	Arsenal FC
01/22​	​	Adama Traoré	FW​	Wolverhampton Wanderers
01/22​	​	Ferrán Torres	FW​	Manchester City
08/21​	​	Luuk de Jong	FW​	Sevilla FC
07/21​	​	Yusuf Demir	FW​	Rapid Wien
07/21​	​	Sergio Agüero	FW​	Manchester City
07/21​	​	Memphis Depay	FW​	Olympique Lyon
07/21​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/21​	​	Eric García	DF​	Manchester City U23
07/21​	​	Guillem Jaime	DF​	Gimnàstic
07/21​	​	Monchu	MF​	Girona FC

Absolute shocker of a list

 

[Hansi Fick]

Quite honestly, and no offense, but I'd rather be living in Barcelona than in Manchester too. It's just objectively a better place to live.
Why is it hard to accept that even a young dumb footballer might have a preference on at which place he wants to live his life?

 

[golden_blunder]

What’s the point in building your team around a player who is not available for pre season training. Give Barca and FDJ an ultimatum that brings him here before the start of the season or forget about him and move on.

Go on son, ring that bell! Don’t worry about what others think about you. Make life easier, ring that bell and get a good sleep and a top meal. Just ring that bell

 

[Real Name]

Quite honestly, and no offense, but I'd rather be living in Barcelona than in Manchester too. It's just objectively a better place to live.
Why is it hard to accept that even a young dumb footballer might have a preference on at which place he wants to live his life?

Is it cause it has more sunny days?

 

[KiD MoYeS]

Not people still pleading with the club to cough up the extra cash when the transfer fee was agreed between the clubs two weeks ago.

 

[We need an rvn]

It's not happening, and I'm sure most people realise it by now even if they won't publicly admit it because of the whole hardcore muppet routine.

Stories now saying he doesn't fancy Utd due to the city / ownership & management concerns / no CL. I'm very much leaning in the same direction as you, the only thing I'm clinging onto is why ETH & Utd are still interested is they must be getting something from the man himself that the press don't know

 

[glazed]

Is it cause it has more sunny days?

I think Mrs de Gea said it best (even though she never said it) - Manchester is uglier than the back of a fridge.

 

[DickDastardly]

How do we know ETH is the right manager to back?

No other big club gives their managers as much control over transfer dealings as we do.

It's not that hard now is it.

You hire managers on the rise - not on their way down.

LvG and Jose were clearly on their way down, and Ole was just a sentimental feel good mistake. We all make those. It just doesn't cost us as much.

You could argue that even if we didn't go for ETH, which i'm happy we did, that we went for other up and coming managers like Nagelsmann or Potter or Ruben Amorim - we would have done good and should have backed them in the market.

The fact that ETH has had some very good players come through his hands so to speak, is only good for us.
If we finally manage to secure FdJ, that would be freaking awesome.

Frenkie is the player of the future, there is hardly a better player in the world in his position at the moment.

So, backing the manager to sign one of the best positional players in the world - it's a no brainer.

 

[Ragnar123]

02/19​	​	Jean-Clair Todibo	DF​	Toulouse FC
01/19​	​	Kevin-Prince Boateng	MF​	Sassuolo Calcio
01/19​	​	Jeison Murillo	DF​	Valencia CF
01/19​	​	Paulinho	MF​	Guangzhou FC
08/18​	​	Arturo Vidal	MF​	Bayern München
07/18​	​	Malcom	FW​	Girondins Bordeaux
07/18​	​	Clément Lenglet	DF​	Sevilla FC
07/18​	​	Arthur	MF​	Grêmio Porto Alegre
07/18​	​	Douglas	DF​	SL Benfica
07/18​	​	Marlon	DF​	OGC Nice
07/18​	​	Munir	FW​	CD Alavés
07/18​	​	Rafinha	MF​	Inter

02/20​	​	Martin Braithwaite	FW​	CD Leganés
01/20​	​	Arda Turan	MF​	İstanbul Başakşehir
08/19​	​	Junior Firpo	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Antoine Griezmann	FW​	Atlético Madrid
07/19​	​	Adriàn Ortolà	GK​	Deportivo La Coruña
07/19​	​	Cucurella	MF​	SD Eibar
07/19​	​	Douglas	DF​	Sivasspor
07/19​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Neto	GK​	Valencia CF

02/22​	​	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	FW​	Arsenal FC
01/22​	​	Adama Traoré	FW​	Wolverhampton Wanderers
08/21​	​	Luuk de Jong	FW​	Sevilla FC
07/21​	​	Yusuf Demir	FW​	Rapid Wien
07/21​	​	Sergio Agüero	FW​	Manchester City
07/21​	​	Memphis Depay	FW​	Olympique Lyon
07/21​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/21​	​	Eric García	DF​	Manchester City U23
07/21​	​	Guillem Jaime	DF​	Gimnàstic
07/21​	​	Monchu	MF​	Girona FC

Add Coutinho to that list and it'll be a list of waste of money.

yes and that's why Bartomeu was the first barca president ever to be dismissed, but he anticipated that move and left a few weeks before.
Now, it doesn't make any sense to post those lists since barca's leadership completely changed. Give Laporta's board and Xavi one full season and then we can analyse the transfers again.

 

[hellhunter]

Quite honestly, and no offense, but I'd rather be living in Barcelona than in Manchester too. It's just objectively a better place to live.
Why is it hard to accept that even a young dumb footballer might have a preference on at which place he wants to live his life?

If all the other variables were the same - sure

 

[Scorpy]

Plot twist - Chelsea want to sign De Jong so they can use him at CB.

 

[Real Name]

I think Mrs de Gea said it best (even though she never said it) - Manchester is uglier than the back of a fridge.

Been there one time and it really isnt that ugly.

 

[Real Name]

It's not happening, and I'm sure most people realise it by now even if they won't publicly admit it because of the whole hardcore muppet routine.

Thank you.

 

[tenpoless]

The easiest excuse for footballers: Missus/Fiancee wants to live in <<city name>>.

 

[Brownie85]

Stories now saying he doesn't fancy Utd due to the city / ownership & management concerns / no CL. I'm very much leaning in the same direction as you, the only thing I'm clinging onto is why ETH & Utd are still interested is they must be getting something from the man himself that the press don't know

Stories now saying he doesn't want to come to United due to the City etc are from Sport mainly. They're about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. As far away from reliable as you can get.

 

[SER19]

This is one of the oddest transfer pursuits yet. Club have staked the transfer window on what looks like an increasingly complicated deal. Im glad they're pursuing the managers top target but surely there are other options too. Longer this goes the less likely anybody else becomes - did we not anticipate this level of complication? What are agents for

 

[Brownie85]

It's not happening, and I'm sure most people realise it by now even if they won't publicly admit it because of the whole hardcore muppet routine.

Ah crap, i knew i was being too optimistic! I just needed your voice of reason to confirm to me that i've wasted my time on a transfer that'll never happen...

Thank you for showing me the light and the truth of the matter. I will rest easy now you've confirmed this is a dead transfer

 

[Real Name]

Ah crap, i knew i was being too optimistic! I just needed your voice of reason to confirm to me that i've wasted my time on a transfer that'll never happen...

Thank you for showing me the light and the truth of the matter. I will rest easy now you've confirmed this is a dead transfer

We should have really given up on the whole hardcore muppet routine till now.

 

[Massive Spanner]

It's not that hard now is it.

You hire managers on the rise - not on their way down.

LvG and Jose were clearly on their way down, and Ole was just a sentimental feel good mistake. We all make those. It just doesn't cost us as much.

You could argue that even if we didn't go for ETH, which i'm happy we did, that we went for other up and coming managers like Nagelsmann or Potter or Ruben Amorim - we would have done good and should have backed them in the market.

The fact that ETH has had some very good players come through his hands so to speak, is only good for us.
If we finally manage to secure FdJ, that would be freaking awesome.

Frenkie is the player of the future, there is hardly a better player in the world in his position at the moment.

So, backing the manager to sign one of the best positional players in the world - it's a no brainer.

Even City and Pool didn't give Pep/Klopp full control early on, they identified targets for them to sign. A manager has to earn the right to have that much control. We let managers come in and pick whoever they want straight away. I'm not doubting that ETH can be a great manager for us but we have no idea yet if he will be.

Anyway, the point isn't whether Frenkie is a great player, so well done on missing that completely. It's whether it's worth spending all summer on a potentially fruitless pursuit and ignoring other targets we could've actually gotten in before the season began.

 

[Eleven-Eighteen]

02/19​	​	Jean-Clair Todibo	DF​	Toulouse FC
01/19​	​	Kevin-Prince Boateng	MF​	Sassuolo Calcio
01/19​	​	Jeison Murillo	DF​	Valencia CF
01/19​	​	Paulinho	MF​	Guangzhou FC
08/18​	​	Arturo Vidal	MF​	Bayern München
07/18​	​	Malcom	FW​	Girondins Bordeaux
07/18​	​	Clément Lenglet	DF​	Sevilla FC
07/18​	​	Arthur	MF​	Grêmio Porto Alegre
07/18​	​	Douglas	DF​	SL Benfica
07/18​	​	Marlon	DF​	OGC Nice
07/18​	​	Munir	FW​	CD Alavés
07/18​	​	Rafinha	MF​	Inter

02/20​	​	Martin Braithwaite	FW​	CD Leganés
01/20​	​	Arda Turan	MF​	İstanbul Başakşehir
08/19​	​	Junior Firpo	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Antoine Griezmann	FW​	Atlético Madrid
07/19​	​	Adriàn Ortolà	GK​	Deportivo La Coruña
07/19​	​	Cucurella	MF​	SD Eibar
07/19​	​	Douglas	DF​	Sivasspor
07/19​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/19​	​	Neto	GK​	Valencia CF

02/22​	​	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	FW​	Arsenal FC
01/22​	​	Adama Traoré	FW​	Wolverhampton Wanderers
08/21​	​	Luuk de Jong	FW​	Sevilla FC
07/21​	​	Yusuf Demir	FW​	Rapid Wien
07/21​	​	Sergio Agüero	FW​	Manchester City
07/21​	​	Memphis Depay	FW​	Olympique Lyon
07/21​	​	Emerson Royal	DF​	Real Betis
07/21​	​	Eric García	DF​	Manchester City U23
07/21​	​	Guillem Jaime	DF​	Gimnàstic
07/21​	​	Monchu	MF​	Girona FC

Add Coutinho to that list and it'll be a list of waste of money.

Holy crap. They make Woody and team look like geniuses

 

[Hansi Fick]

If all the other variables were the same - sure

In principle, of course the variables matter - if he had to stay in Barcelona unemployed and broke, or playing for Espanyol at 500k a year (I'd take it!), or condemned to the stands and thrown out of the squad. But that's not going to happen is it?

So what variables are that much better, surrounding a transfer to Manchester United, that it would offset a strong preference to stay in Barcelona?

Is the club more attractive or prestigious overall? No it isn't.

Has the manager a greater pull? Ten Hag surely has pull on de Jong but Xavi is a legend in itself, if only as a player. Probably Man United's biggest trump card though, after paying more.

Is there a better sporting perspective? Hardly. Barca are in CL, they've reinforced the team. Man United have reinforced too and are quite probably looking at a good future, but it would take a lot of optimism to anticipate Man United overtaking Barca in terms of sporting success over the course of the next contract (don't get me wrong, I'd be very optimistic about Ten Hag as a Utd fan)

Is he going to get paid more at United? Probably not really, especially seeing that Barca are supposed to pay up money from the last years in the coming years, and his wages were very high already. This is, of course, the LEVER in Utds hands: offer him more.

The club wants to get rid? Yeah they do and it's surely not a great feeling, but I doubt they tell him to his face, I doubt it's part of his relation to the manager or teammates, nor will it have consequences once he has stayed. Look at Dembélé.

The situation, as it's solidly reported, is that the transfer is agreed between the clubs but the player hasn't agreed terms with the buying club. It's honestly a strange way to go about it, and it should surely worry Utd fans whether it wouldn't be better to look at alternatives.

Especially seeing that Frenkie isn't all that in the first place.

 

[hellhunter]

In principle, of course the variables matter - if he had to stay in Barcelona unemployed and broke, or playing for Espanyol at 500k a year (I'd take it!), or condemned to the stands and thrown out of the squad. But that's not going to happen is it?

So what variables are that much better, surrounding a transfer to Manchester United, that it would offset a strong preference to stay in Barcelona?

Is the club more attractive or prestigious overall? No it isn't.

Has the manager a greater pull? Ten Hag surely has pull on de Jong but Xavi is a legend in itself, if only as a player

Is there a better sporting perspective? Hardly. Barca are in CL, they've reinforced the team. Man United have reinforced too and are quite probably looking at a good future, but it would take a lot of optimism to anticipate Man United overtaking Barca in terms of sporting succes over the course of the next contract (don't get me wrong, I'd be very optimistic about Ten Hag as a Utd fan)

Is he going to get paid more at United? Probably not really, especially seeing that Barca are supposed to pay up money from the last years in the coming years, and his wages were very high already.

The situation, as it's solidly reported, is that the transfer is agreed between the clubs but the player hasn't agreed terms with the buying club. It's honestly a strange way to go about it, and it should surely worry Utd fans whether it wouldn't be better to look at alternatives.

Especially seeing that Frenkie isn't all that in the first place.

Think it's a pretty individual question, but for some people the mere difference of 'not wanted' and 'desperately chased' would settle it

 

[Plant0x84]

I hear that his wife's boyfriend's son doesn't wanna come to Manchester so we got to deliberate on that for about 200 pages before resolution.

Fake news, he’s not married.

 

[Hansi Fick]

Think it's a pretty individual question, but for some people the mere difference of 'not wanted' and 'desperately chased' would settle it

I've added a point about that in the above post, that would be my estimation.

 

[hellhunter]

Fake news, he’s not married.

He's in the States now, maybe a short trip to Vegas?

 

[mu4c_20le]

He's fooling around in Miami. Pogba also spent most of his summer in Miami during the year of #PogBack.


He's coming.

 

[red_de_pologne]

If Chelsea come in last minute and just use our months of negotiations to know what fee & wages to offer him.. I fear for ETH

 

[Red Shorts]

When does it get to the point that we send a couple of supporters over to Miami and kidnap him? When we hit the 1,000 page mark?

Will also need a designated tour guide to show the beautiful sights around Cheshire, once he lands

 

[Plant0x84]

Panic on the streets of Barca
Panic on the streets of Salford
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again?
The Catalan side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself

Hopes may rise on twitter
But transfer muppets, you're not safe here
So you run down to the safety of the ‘caf.

Hang blessed Laporta
Because the BS that he constantly spouts
It says nothing to me about Frenkie
Come and Play for ten Hag
Because the football he is trying to play
On the Manc side-streets that you slip down
Make sure to run don’t just jog 'round

Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ
Frenkie DJ, Frenkie DJ

 

[RDCR07]

If Chelsea come in last minute and just use our months of negotiations to know what fee & wages to offer him.. I fear for ETH

There is still the issue of deferred wages. Doesn’t matter if it’s us or Chelsea they have to deal with the same issue.

 

[Tony247]

In principle, of course the variables matter - if he had to stay in Barcelona unemployed and broke, or playing for Espanyol at 500k a year (I'd take it!), or condemned to the stands and thrown out of the squad. But that's not going to happen is it?

So what variables are that much better, surrounding a transfer to Manchester United, that it would offset a strong preference to stay in Barcelona?

Is the club more attractive or prestigious overall? No it isn't.

Has the manager a greater pull? Ten Hag surely has pull on de Jong but Xavi is a legend in itself, if only as a player. Probably Man United's biggest trump card though, after paying more.

Is there a better sporting perspective? Hardly. Barca are in CL, they've reinforced the team. Man United have reinforced too and are quite probably looking at a good future, but it would take a lot of optimism to anticipate Man United overtaking Barca in terms of sporting success over the course of the next contract (don't get me wrong, I'd be very optimistic about Ten Hag as a Utd fan)

Is he going to get paid more at United? Probably not really, especially seeing that Barca are supposed to pay up money from the last years in the coming years, and his wages were very high already. This is, of course, the LEVER in Utds hands: offer him more.

The club wants to get rid? Yeah they do and it's surely not a great feeling, but I doubt they tell him to his face, I doubt it's part of his relation to the manager or teammates, nor will it have consequences once he has stayed. Look at Dembélé.

The situation, as it's solidly reported, is that the transfer is agreed between the clubs but the player hasn't agreed terms with the buying club. It's honestly a strange way to go about it, and it should surely worry Utd fans whether it wouldn't be better to look at alternatives.

Especially seeing that Frenkie isn't all that in the first place.

Speculative point TBH. There are only three facts known to all 1) Barca want him gone by agreeing a deal with united 2) united desparately want him so much that either him or no one. 3) frenkie is refusing to leave.

Rest all is our own hypothesis and deduction based on may be our own prejudices and preferences.

 

[Plant0x84]

He's in the States now, maybe a short trip to Vegas?

Nah, Xavi wasn’t allowed into the country.

 

[Brownie85]

If Chelsea come in last minute and just use our months of negotiations to know what fee & wages to offer him.. I fear for ETH

Highly doubt it's going to happen
I'm sure the reports today of them not making a bid until de Jong says he wants to leave is to backtrack on the reports yesterday that a lot of outlets picked up on and reported (using Relevo as the source and a few adding their own stuff or opinion). Now they have to backtrack as it looks like the Relevo report was utter BS

 

[Plant0x84]

If Chelsea come in last minute and just use our months of negotiations to know what fee & wages to offer him.. I fear for ETH

When Frenkie signs it’ll make our team a whole lot better, but if for some reason he doesn’t it won’t break ten Hag. He is too driven and pragmatic to be derailed that easily.

 

[Plant0x84]

When does it get to the point that we send a couple of supporters over to Miami and kidnap him? When we hit the 1,000 page mark?

Will also need a designated tour guide to show the beautiful sights around Cheshire, once he lands

Either that or crowd fund the 17m for him to show him the love Manchester has for him.

 

[Rainy nights in Stoke]

If Chelsea come in last minute and just use our months of negotiations to know what fee & wages to offer him.. I fear for ETH

Why would he all of a sudden be happy to leave Barca if Chelsea come in for him? Don't see any reason he should prefer joining them over us.
Even the spanish journos saying he doesn't want to leave, say he is in daily contact with ETH. It's quite likely that if he would decide to leave, we are in pole position.