One of Manchester United‘s priorities for the upcoming transfer windows is to strengthen their midfield, which clearly lacks depth and creativity. To solve this problem, the English club are thinking about a player whose contract is running down at FC Barcelona.
The least stocked sector at Manchester United is undoubtedly that of midfield. Ruben Amorim can only count on 5 players and, apart from Bruno Fernandes, none is capable of dictating play. It is this type of profile that will be sought by the Red Devils, ahead of the winter transfer window. It is possible that a midfielder will be recruited this winter to solve this problem.
Several targets are mentioned such as Carlos Baleba, who is experiencing a difficult start to the season with Brighton. If Manchester United wish to recruit the former Lille player, his price (£85.5m) remains a real obstacle. Conversely, other cheaper deals are achievable, notably by turning towards Barcelona. According to information from Football Insider, the Manchester hierarchy are targeting Frenkie de Jong.
Frenkie de Jong, Manchester United's good move?
The Dutch midfielder is among the major players who will be out of contract in June 2026. If negotiations for an extension are ongoing, they have been dragging on for several weeks. Arsenal have also positioned themselves and there is clearly a move to be made in this case, because Barcelona are not prepared to offer a big salary to Frenkie de Jong, unlike Manchester United who could satisfy his wage demands.
If Frenkie de Jong refuses to extend, then Barcelona could be obliged to sell him this winter in order to recoup money on this transfer. Currently, the 28-year-old player is valued at £38.5m. But six months from the end of his contract, his price risks falling. Manchester United could also wait for the summer 2026 transfer window to sign him for free.
This article was originally published on Top Mercato.
