Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap

[RkkMan]

Yeah this idea isn't as far fetched as you think

I'm wondering is Martinez signing a De Jong alternative.

I know he is LCB but what if Ten Hag has seen something and will use him as DM. Funny how 2 lads go to Barcelona to speak to Barcelona and then next day go and speak to Ajax about agreeing a fee and how quickly it was done.

Maybe 2 lads moved on to get Martinez deal as told the De Jong deal is to complicated to complete.

Erikesen in now. You have Martinez and Fred as DM role.

Erikesen, McTominey and Bruno and DVB as others.

The idea is very very far fetched. Martinez hasn't played as a DM for 2 years, we're selling Bailly and Axel so less depth at CB, Eriksen is a 10, a left footed CB is IMPERATIVE for a Ten Hag system and the media have said we have alternatives to FDJ. If we don't sign him(which seems likely) we'll go for someone else my guess is Ruben Neves
And us going to Holland after Spain is irrelevant since Martinez has been a target we'd been seeking to get regardless of what happens with FDJ

 

[WPMUFC]

@Berbaclass we'll have to let the doomers have their fun for now.

 

[Berbaclass]

Some of you have zero nerve. This doesn’t change anything. Was expected

 

[GreatDane]

Spoiler

 

[Brownie85]

All reliable outlets have said we've agreed a fee with Barcelona. The problem is just De Jongs deferred wages. Then why is he on tour ? shouldn't they be sorting it out ? shit makes no sense.

People are saying we've taken Bailly and Telles on tour as a reason. We haven't agreed a fee for either of them and they haven't agreed a fee for Depay either.

Because he's a Barca player and until he's not, they can do whatever the hell they want to do with him? Why not get him match ready in case he doesn't leave?
Again just because he's gone doesn't mean he'll play!! They could sit him on the bench and say to him in private "If you stay, this is your future". They likely won't, but still. This is NOT over and those who believe it is, need to just walk away from this thread if thats what they truly believe, because United aren't walking away from this transfer

 

[Plant0x84]

From what i've read, we're playing the long waiting game on this one, and if he's not here before the start of the PL, so be it, we'll see it out.


So yeah... it's going to be a long summer and i think any other target will be when the de Jong deal is totally dead in the water and no chance of it happening. We might be prepared to go until the final week of the window to be fair

Love some deadline day action!

 

[the_cliff]

Don’t forget Xavi kept Dembele in the squad and played him despite the board running a smear campaign on him.

They never agreed a fee with a team to sell him.

There's no way you can spin this. Barcelona apparently need to sell FDJ, FDJ apparently wants to come to United, we've agreed a fee with Barcelona for FDJ and yet he's still going on tour.

If Barcelona are so desperate to sell him and FDJ does indeed want to come this would've been done by now. The fact that he's going on tour either means FDJ doesn't want to come or Barcelona are taking us for a ride.

Name me another example of a team agreeing a fee for a player pre tour and that player still going on tour with his team ?

 

[the hea]

We CANNO'T be starting the new season with McFred in midfield!

We won't. We already signed McTominays replacement yesterday.

 

[Brownie85]

Ding ding ding 100% this.

We in trouble boys.

Not sure if you're just wumming or not at this point?

 

[fallengt]

To the Neves thread

 

[Wilt]

32,000 posts down the pan

 

[Redcy]

Now that Barca has committed to all these players, our leverage has increased & I wouldn't offer more than €65M to Barca. Offer FDJ higher wages instead and give them a firm deadline.

Everyone's acting like FDJ is the best midfielder in the world. He's not, he's decent but hasn't fully established himself at Barca, a league & team that arguably best fits his playstyle. Yet Barca are desperate to sell him which should tell us something. Unpopular opinion, but Neves could be the better fit for what we need next to Fred. The grit, the passing, the defensive intensity.

Neves is like an oil tanker and would need a much quicker, much more defensive midfielder alongside, plus he would probably cost as much as FdJ

 

[dove]

My thoughts exactly.

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...

 

[Rolaholic]

Thought yesterday was that deadline

The Manager and the Club's have got more of a stomach than a good portion of you

 

[Plant0x84]

Yeah was just thinking that, may as well put this thread on ignore until they return because no chance he leaves their tour

I bet you don’t! You can’t get enough muppet action! You love it!

 

[DWelbz19]

pretty level headed from Howson (apart from the clickbait title)

Yeah I think this is quite a good overview of the situation. Surprisingly well done from Howson

 

[VP89]

Do you honestly believe there is any chance in hell that ten Hag hasn't made damn sure that he is more than interested in coming? This is a player who he knows well and is his priority target... but he hasn't thought to make sure we're not wasting our time? I tend to believe he's not an imbecile.

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.

 

[Berbaclass]

@Berbaclass we'll have to let the doomers have their fun for now.

Fully expected news but everyone loses their minds

 

[Judas]

32,000 posts down the pan

We're still signing him though?

 

[Plassryss]

Thats it then. Go for kessie instead? Cant see how Barca can go for him when signing Raphina and Lewandowski + keeping fdj. They still cant register Raphina but hes on the tour. Ffp clearly only applies to some

 

[Brownie85]

They never agreed a fee with a team to sell him.

There's no way you can spin this. Barcelona apparently need to sell FDJ, FDJ apparently wants to come to United, we've agreed a fee with Barcelona for FDJ and yet he's still going on tour.

If Barcelona are so desperate to sell him and FDJ does indeed want to come this would've been done by now. The fact that he's going on tour either means FDJ doesn't want to come or Barcelona are taking us for a ride.

Name me another example of a team agreeing a fee for a player pre tour and that player still going on tour with his team ?

You'd be thinking that most United supporters would be glad he's going on tour and getting a pre season rather than just sitting on the sidelines doing sweet feck all.
When this is done, yes i say WHEN IT IS DONE, he'll be match fit and ready to go. I'm guessing those that think this is a dead deal would happily walk away from €17m in payment owed, because let me say now, if you were in Frenkies shoes there is no way on this earth you'd walk away from that much money. You'd want it and you'd make sure your paid it, as he is doing.

Not sure at all why people are making such a big fuss over this tour shit. Just relax people, am sure the NHS or your countries health care provider won't be able to cope with the amount of fecking burst aneurysms that are going to occur in here today!!

 

[Adisa]

My thoughts exactly.

Even if De Jong wants to come, I believe the club should tell Ten Hag that this has run on too long. This entire deal depends on Barca paying De Jong money that he's technically not owed if he moves. That's a ridiculous position for our club to be in.
Even if Ali Dorsun has guaranteed us that Barca will pay(he cannot give that guarantee), we should not take his word for it.
The other thing is I believe Barca have taken him in tour because there is a high chance this deal collapses. Barca will look for other means of registering players than paying FDJ £17m.
The other thing I absolutely do not believe is that FDJ has told ETH and United that he doesn't want to come. I believe he has told ETH he is open to the move and why the club seem willing to die on this hill.

 

[Mickeza]

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.

 

[the_cliff]

Yeah I think this is quite a good overview of the situation. Surprisingly well done from Howson

This makes sense.

However what doesn't make sense is if that's the only thing holding up the deal, why are Barcelona refusing to give FDJ 17 mill and in that case losing out on 70/80mill transfer fee and the removal of his wages off the books so all their new players can be registered ?

Barcelona are dumb but not dumb enough to miss out on all of that just over 17mill in deferred payments. Something deeper is going on here and it smells bad.

 

[TheReligion]

Because that generally never happens, feel free to give some examples though

There’s already been a few mentioned including Ronaldo?

 

[Plant0x84]

Yeah hard to argue with Luckhurst

It’s entirely simple to argue with Luckhurst. He is wrong. He’s just spewing a negative narrative that is lapped up by numpties who need a reason to be mad at the club they ‘support’.

 

[PedroMendez]

My thoughts exactly.

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.

Then they still have to pay him and it would be there big saleable asset scuppered.

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.

 

[Aeryis]

Some of you have zero nerve. This doesn’t change anything. Was expected

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

I will keep saying this, if De Jong wants this transfer, the deferred wages thing will be sorted very quickly even United would probably have pitched in already. He is the one holding up the deal.

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.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Who are the other options and fit in with what Ten Hag wants from his midfielder? Not just any old body.

 

[Escobar]

Yeah hard to argue with Luckhurst

Not really. Of course the club tries everything to get the managers preferred players. Especially with our current structure

 

[DWelbz19]

This makes sense.

However what doesn't make sense is if that's the only thing holding up the deal, why are Barcelona refusing to give FDJ 17 mill and in that case losing out on 70/80mill transfer fee and the removal of his wages off the books so all their new players can be registered ?

Barcelona are dumb but not dumb enough to miss out on all of that just over 17mill in deferred payments. Something deeper is going on here and it smells bad.

Perhaps Barcelona think either Frenkie or Manchester United will cave to a compromise before they do?

 

[VP89]

pretty level headed from Howson (apart from the clickbait title)

Dont think this is a great insight (unsurprisingly its Howson).

Footballer contracts aren't lacking in detail. There are many clauses and one of them covers the scenario of him being bought by another club.

 

[Blood Mage]

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.

 

[VP89]

Not really. Of course the club tries everything to get the managers preferred players. Especially with our current structure

They dont do everything they can. They do it within a reasonable appetite.

 

[Keefy18]

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.

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.

 

[GreatDane]

Fully expected news but everyone loses their minds

It's more like the same 3-4 posters who are dead certain it won't happen and feel the need to constantly inform everyone about it.

 

[sglowrider]

ETH inflexibility in selecting transfer targets and myopia when it comes to familiarity does not bode well. We could have had at least a 2nd or 3rd option, cause we are doomed without a CDM

Thats one of the criticism of him at Ajax. He has no Plan B or he is very slow at pivoting.

 

[croadyman]

Who are the other options and fit in with what Ten Hag wants from his midfielder? Not just any old body.

Neves is number one target I reckon followed by Tielemans, however without De Jong maybe should look at signing cheaper option and a DM like Sangare.

 

[Brownie85]

Even if De Jong wants to come, I believe the club should tell Ten Hag that this has run on too long. This entire deal depends on Barca paying De Jong money that he's technically not owed if he moves. That's a ridiculous position for our club to be in.
Even if Ali Dorsun has guaranteed us that Barca will pay(he cannot give that guarantee), we should not take his word for it.
The other thing is I believe Barca have taken him in tour because there is a high chance this deal collapses. Barca will look for other means of registering players than paying FDJ £17m.

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

 

[Giggsyking]

Its going to drag on forever.

I can see if nothing comes out this summer, we may try again next summer.

Watching Mcfred for another season