Barcelona tell Man Utd target De Jong he has ‘two options’ but surely there’s a third

Barcelona have informed Frenkie de Jong that he has two options this summer amid interest from Man Utd, according to reports.

The Netherlands international has been the subject of interest from Man Utd for over two months with Premier League side Chelsea also not rumoured to be interested.

It has become clear that De Jong’s priority was always to stay at Barcelona this summer with numerous reports over the summer bigging up and then playing down a transfer to Man Utd.

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Just yesterday there were three narratives: one insisting Man Utd had received ‘encouraging feedback’ over a potential move, another claiming De Jong will ‘only agree’ a Barcelona exit to Chelsea and finally that the Dutchman’s relationship with Erik ten Hag is ‘not particularly special’.

One of the hold-ups over a potential transfer to Man Utd is believed to be De Jong’s attempts to get Barcelona to pay him around £17m he’s owed in deferred wages and bonuses from the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

And now COPE journalist Helena Condis claims that Barcelona have ‘given Frenkie de Jong two options’ with the club receiving ‘several offers’ for his services.

He can either ‘accept the salary reduction’ they have proposed – which is rumoured to be almost 50 per cent of his current wage packet – or ‘quit’ the club.

But is there a third option? How about honour the contract you gave him when he initially signed in July 2019? And maybe pay back the reported millions in deferred wages and bonuses you owe him too?

If De Jong takes a pay cut it will expand Barcelona’s options in the transfer market as they look to register more new signings before the start of the season.

The Catalan giants have already brought in Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen on free transfers, while they have paid sizeable fees for Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

And former Man Utd defender Gary Neville has called on De Jong to “consider legal action” against “immoral” Barcelona over a form of “bullying”.

Neville wrote on Twitter: “De Jong should consider legal action v Barcelona and all players should be behind him! A club spending fortunes on new players whilst not paying the ones they have under contract their full money is immoral and a breach. @FIFPRO should be all over bullying like this and stop it.”