Frenkie de Jong to Bayern: How serious is the threat to Man Utd?
Robin Bairner
- 18 Jul 2022 09:56 BST
- 3 min read
Bayern Munich have reportedly emerged as a threat to Manchester United’s hopes of completing a transfer for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
Man Utd’s pursuit of De Jong continues to rumble on, with progress in a deal taking place at a glacial speed. The clubs have agreed terms over a move, but De Jong is refusing to budge from leaving Barca, in part due to millions of euros owed to him by the Camp Nou side.
Now Bayern Munich have emerged as a possible candidate to steal the 25-year-old Netherlands midfielder away from the Red Devils, with Sport reporting that the player is open to the possibility of the move because he wants to be able to challenge for major honours while remaining close to his homeland.
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De Jong to Bayern: Is it a realistic transfer?
A transfer move that sees De Jong leave Barcelona for Bayern appears unlikely. FCB are already loaded with midfielders at present and it is their desire to cut back on the number of players they have in that position rather than increase it.
For example, they have already signed Ryan Gravenberch this summer from Ajax, adding to a corps in which Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are the regular duo, backed up by Marcel Sabitzer.
While Bayern might be open to a transfer for Sabitzer, who has previously attracted the attention of Manchester United and has struggled to win playing time since moving from RB Leipzig a year ago, it is not an issue that they will be forcing at present given their No.1 priority has to be replacing Barcelona-bound Robert Lewandowski.
Indeed, FootballTransfers revealed that Chelsea’s reported interest in De Jong was fabricated by Barcelona in order to speed up a deal with Manchester United. It would be little surprise if De Jong’s supposed desire to move to Bayern was a similar ruse, particularly given the news broke in a source friendly with the Camp Nou club.
