Manchester United very close to agreeing first summer signing

LEEUWARDEN, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 11: Coach Erik Ten Hag of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between SC Cambuur and Ajax at the Cambuur Stadion on March 11, 2022 in Leeuwarden, Netherlands (Photo by Henk Jan Dijks/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
LEEUWARDEN, NETHERLANDS - MARCH 11: Coach Erik Ten Hag of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between SC Cambuur and Ajax at the Cambuur Stadion on March 11, 2022 in Leeuwarden, Netherlands (Photo by Henk Jan Dijks/BSR Agency/Getty Images) /
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Erik ten Hag has a huge job on his hands at Manchester United. He needs to succeed where the likes of Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, David Moyes, Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have failed. He needs to take the Red Devils back to the top of English football, a place that they have not been since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013. In fact, they have not won a single trophy over the past five seasons.

Ten Hag has an impressive record from his time at Ajax. The Dutch club re-established themselves as the top team in the Netherlands under his management and impressed in Europe as well, even reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals a few years back.

Rebuilding Manchester United will be a whole different ball game for Ten Hag though and he will need to make significant additions to the squad this summer. One player that the club have been linked with heavily since his appointment is former Ajax midfield maestro, Frenkie de Jong.

As reported by SPORT, Manchester United and Barcelona are now very close to agreeing a deal for De Jong. The transfer fee is going to be close to €80 million. Everything depends on the decision of the player though.

Manchester United are very close to agreeing first summer signing

Manchester United could pull off a major coup if they are able to sign De Jong from Barcelona. During his time at Ajax, he was expected to become the top midfielder in Europe. His development has not gone as well since moving to Camp Nou though.

But Ten Hag knows how to get the best out of him and as a result, a reunion might give De Jong’s career the boost that it needs at this moment.

It could prove to be a bit difficult to convince him to come to Old Trafford though, with no Champions League football next season, as Manchester United finished 6th in the Premier League. But at the same time, rumours have suggested that the Red Devils might be ready to make De Jong the highest paid player at the club.