Manchester United have been handed a boost in the club’s long-standing pursuit of Frenkie de Jong with Paris Saint-Germain having cooled their interest in the Barcelona midfielder.
PSG had been keen on a deal to sign De Jong in the summer as the French champions look to improve their midfield options, though Financial Fair Play concerns have led the Parisians to withdraw their interest.
According to Sport, PSG’s primary focus is on signing a centre-forward to replace Kylian Mbappe, who will sign for Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the campaign. Victor Osimhen, of Napoli, is the club’s top target and has a release clause of around €130m (£112m) in his contract at the Italian side.
The pursuit of Osimhen leaves little room for further big-money signings as PSG looks to remain compliant with financial rules and reduce the cost of their squad.
That stance will be a boost to Manchester United, who failed in a pursuit of De Jong in 2022 but remain interested in the Dutchman. Erik ten Hag previously worked with De Jong at Ajax, while the Red Devils are preparing for a midfield overhaul in the summer.
Sofyan Amrabat’s loan move will not be made permanent after a disappointing loan spell, while Casemiro and Christian Eriksen have each been linked with exits. Scott McTominay’s future is another that is uncertain and he could be sold, with the academy graduate’s departure an option to ease Premier League Profit and Sustainability concerns.
Bayern Munich and Chelsea have previously been credited with interest and Barcelona value De Jong in excess of €80m (£69m). The Spanish side is another club with pressing financial concerns, having overspent on the spending cap imposed on the Catalans by La Liga.
