13 Jul 2022 12:44:30
I may be giving our club more credit than they are due, but I doubt they would fly to Barcelona unless they believed a deal was on the cards. Surely they understand what the issue is and what needs to happen?
FDJ apparently says he has no intention of leaving Barcelona or taking a pay cut, and I guess they can’t make him. But if that is their ultimatum to him then he has to make a decision. There’s a World Cup coming up and they could just not play him, childish perhaps but perfectly possible. He can stay at Barca, take a massive pay cut and wave goodbye to his deferred payments, or he can leave and probably get a good pay rise out of it.
Perhaps he thinks he can stay, refuse a pay cut, insist on his deferred payments, and just carry on playing. This seems odd given the mess they are in and the pay cuts others have taken, but again, perfectly possible.
You can only hope that discussions have taken place behind the scenes and this is a game of chicken but I retain a nagging feeling we are unicorn hunting. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time.
13 Jul 2022 12:57:46
Tony, I hope you are right. But with our shambles of a set up, you never know.
13 Jul 2022 13:53:54
I don't think the club have done much wrong here. They've been negotiating with Barcelona who are a complete mess, Laporta who is trying to con people like a poor street side magician.
I'm sure at some stage Frenkie as said he may be interested but things can change. He may be very angry with how Barcelona how handled this and is digging his feet in, who knows really.
All I know is that the club have done their up most to sign the managers number 1 target. That sounds good to me.
Where it will make this into a farce is if we continue to wait for Frenkie to make up his mind and delay midfield signings because of it. Give him a date to decide, if he wants to Stay wish him well and onto the next player on the list.
13 Jul 2022 14:10:08
The big issue seems to be the €17m owed to De Jong in deferred wages. Barcelona are treating the player very poorly, and trying to use United to avoid paying what they owe him.
My view is that United need to walk away. The transfer is a farce, and there are other targets that could be signed instead. I don’t see any reason for us to be enabling Barca’s behaviour here.
{Ed002's Note - No, that is not the "biggest" issue.}
13 Jul 2022 14:10:25
The big issue seems to be the €17m owed to De Jong in deferred wages. Barcelona are treating the player very poorly, and trying to use United to avoid paying what they owe him.
My view is that United need to walk away. The transfer is a farce, and there are other targets that could be signed instead. I don’t see any reason for us to be enabling Barca’s behaviour here.
13 Jul 2022 14:16:54
Thanks ED002. Just going on what media has been saying.
Is there still a lack of agreement on price or is it simply that the player doesn’t want to move?
{Ed002's Note - The player does not want to leave Barcelona.}
13 Jul 2022 14:40:38
I mean lads eds has reportedly said about 20 times we haven't agreed a deal yet. hopefully john and ricks european tour has another Barcelona leg later this week.
{Ed002's Note - The club need to move on now.}
13 Jul 2022 14:53:41
I can't believe the club are still trying to sort out a deal for De Jong. They have been burnt before when signing players who don't want to play them.
13 Jul 2022 15:07:35
More time wasted by the amateurs ed. No doubt they will continue their pursuit of him though.
13 Jul 2022 15:14:26
I never thought we would be able to sign the player this year if eth was not our manager ed i think he's the man pushing for the deal and would have some knowlege of if he can convince the player I've no idea if he personally has had that chance or soon will have that chance.
But we have to move on eventually the club seem in a position of doomed if they do doomed if they dont. don't get him they get told why spend so long and miss out on so many others not to get him. do get him people will complain we have spent so much tome on a player who doesn't really want to be at the club or it would have been completed earlier.
13 Jul 2022 15:33:52
We should just move on now. It is not like the club haven't tried to sign him, sometimes it just doesn't happen.
There are plenty of players out there who we could sign instead. My money is on Ruben Neves but I'd opt for Fabian Ruiz but I don't think he's been looked at by the club.
13 Jul 2022 15:38:39
De Jong may want to stay but Barcelona want to sell him. Unless he takes a pay cut he won't be playing for Barcelona next season.
13 Jul 2022 15:44:19
We will shortly turn to our backup plan that Bissouma lad from Brighton.
13 Jul 2022 17:03:48
Chorlton, he is under contract and cannot be forced to accept a new contract on worse conditions.
A player under contract cannot be forced to leave a club or join another club.
If De Jong has decided to stay at Barcelona, as Ed002 states, the club have two options: honour his contract or break the contract and get sued. They can refuse to give him game time, but he’s still entitled to his full salary and the deferred wages he’s owed by the club.
13 Jul 2022 17:26:54
Looks as though De Jong’s first choice is to stay at Barcelona on his current contract which has built-increases.
That’s not going to happen though with Barcelona’s financial position. Nor would they perhaps argue that De Jong has lit up La Liga and been value for money for his wages. Albeit him not playing in his favoured role.
Barca look to be offering ‘if you stay we will paying you less’ and no doubt they’ll any his deferred wages written off too.
De Jong has a contract though. He’s not forced to settle for anything less. And why should he?
Barca seemingly want to sell as he’s one of their few assets they can get sizeable cash for so they can reinvest in the squad.
So perhaps it is De Jong wants Barcelona but they no longer want him. But in the meantime he doesn’t have to do anything.
United offer a partial solution. Maybe not first choice but if he’s no longer wanted why wouldn’t he eventually move? He’s just making sure though that, if he does have to leave, he’s not leaving until every cent owed to him is paid.
13 Jul 2022 17:41:27
Oakbark
The one who signed for Spurs for £25?m, Spurs got a fantastic deal there.
13 Jul 2022 17:57:42
It's only the agents that have said that FDJ doesn't want to leave.
Hes not going to say he wants to leave when he's owed around €17m is he. Barcelona are trying to wriggle out from paying him.
Guarantee he's in a United shirt next week.
{Ed014's Note - and he’ll be the missing piece!
9 assists over the last 3 seasons, you’ve got a gem there mate.
13 Jul 2022 18:03:31
Don't want bissouma near our club right now.
{Ed014's Note - how did you know he had covid?
13 Jul 2022 20:19:06
Ed014 - De Jong’s game isn’t about assists. I guarantee he ‘assists the assist’ more than most in Europe by playing the defence splitting through ball to a winger/ striker/ no.10 who then lay a goal on a plate for another player. De Jong is outstanding - comfortably in the top 10 central midfielders in Europe.
{Ed014's Note - makes sense he’s staying at Barca then to be fair
13 Jul 2022 20:46:50
Danny. the 3rd option. which you have missed. is to tell him he is not part of Barcelona's plans and if he stays he will not be 1st choice. They want to sell him so why would they make it easy for him to stay. It very likely he will not be playing for Barcelona next season.
13 Jul 2022 20:50:48
Redman I think Oakbark was joking. at least i hope he was ?.
13 Jul 2022 22:39:57
As I said, if you bothered reading it, “They can refuse to give him game time, but he’s still entitled to his full salary and the deferred wages he’s owed by the club. ”
So, yeah that’s what Barcelona can do, freeze a player on a massive contract out of the team while still paying his massive contract.
14 Jul 2022 01:44:12
Chorlton, just like they froze Dembele out after he refused a move in January? They wanted to sell him to get money before his contract ended, he refused, they threatened aha yet he still played most of the remaining season as far as I remember ?.
{Ed001's Note - only because it was Koeman who threatened and then he was replaced.}
14 Jul 2022 06:47:55
Thanks Ed01 ??
Just my opinion but unless he takes a pay cut he's leaving.
14 Jul 2022 07:01:58
Does Xavi actually want Frenkie gone? Would think it's El Presidente who wants the 17 million a year off the books. Can't see him being frozen out on that wage a week and of the manager wants to play him if he refuses to leave.
14 Jul 2022 07:13:18
I do think we should walk away, this is Barca's mess and I think they simply wants us to stump up the cash Frenkie is owed as part of the deal to get them out of their own mess.
This is compunded by the fact he wants to stay as well snd whilst I am sure a player can be convinced to move I just don't think this scenario is the one where we want to do this.
14 Jul 2022 10:09:28
Oakbark, you do know he was signed by Spurs right?
14 Jul 2022 10:24:07
Move on to who lol, ETH has bet the house on getting Frenkie through the door.
If we don't get FDJ over the line simply because he doesn't want to leave Barcelona, the club and city, serious questions would have to be asked of ETH.
I mean doesn't he have him on whatsapp or instagram lol.
14 Jul 2022 11:01:03
Loyalty Bonus.