According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United will continue to pursue the signing of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong at Old Trafford unless he is openly refused by the player.
Erik ten Hag has presided over a successful summer for the club, but there are still several vital positions to fill before the transfer market closes on September 1.
De Jong, who makes £164,000 per week at Barcelona, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for what seems like an eternity now, but the deal does not appear to be moving as quickly as some close to the club would have wanted.
The Athletic reported back in July that a £63 million fee had been agreed with Barcelona for the transfer of the 25-year-old, but a dispute with the La Liga giants over deferred wages was holding up the deal.
Now, United seemingly have serious competition. MailOnline reported this week that Chelsea are ‘increasingly hopeful’ of winning the race for De Jong, with the offer of Champions League football on the table at Stamford Bridge.
According to the same source, the player would prefer a move to Thomas Tuchel‘s team over his old manager’s.
United, on the other hand, is not about to give up on the “world-class” player. According to the trade expert, the Red Devils intend to keep pursuing the former Ajax star until their approach is completely rejected.