I said quite a while ago that this has deadline day deal written all over it.
The only issue is his owed wages and there is a little negotiation triangle going on with each party waiting for another to blink first.
Options
- Barca pay what he is owed by them (Or an agreed settlement)
- Man Utd pay what he owed by Barca (Or an agreed settlement)
- Barca and Utd split what he is owed (Or agreed settlement)
Come transfer deadline day my feeling is that a deal will be struck as pressure builds. Probably something like Utd paying 6 Mill, Barca paying 6 Mill and De Jong settling for 12 Mill instead of 17.
I really can't see it not happening though. Barca have no choice but to make him leave, Ten Haag loves him and sees him as the most important piece of his project and he won't want to spend a season on the bench or unregistered at a club that doesn't want him there.