Barcelona Want Manchester United To Pay Frenkie De Jong's Unpaid Wages

Manchester United's move for Frenkie de Jong has hit a new snag, with Barcelona wanting the buying club to pay off their outstanding debt to the midfielder.

De Jong is the transfer saga that just keeps on dragging, as United desperately try to wrap up the signing of their number one summer target.

On Tuesday it was revealed that the two clubs have finally agreed a fee for the player, although he wasn't too pleased to find out that is had happened.

Barcelona would likely not have sold him in normal circumstances but the club's finances are so poor they've got no choice, considering they can't even register their new signings yet.

The former Ajax midfielder is owed around £17 million by his current team, due to bonuses and what he's owed from his deferred wages during the last couple of years of Covid.

De Jong doesn't want to leave Barcelona. Image: Alamy

Now, according to talkSPORT, the Catalan giants want United to pay that money as part of the deal, on top of the £56 million up front transfer fee, and other add ons.

"We know Richard Arnold and John Murtough [United’s CEO and director of football] travelled to Barcelona to hold talks with their Catalonian counterparts," Alex Crook told the radio station.

"The fee has been agreed, £56m up front with add-ons. The big stumbling block is this £17m that Barcelona owe Frenkie de Jong in unpaid wages.

"Clearly he wants that settled before really engaging in talks with Manchester United.

"And it’s been suggested to me that what Barcelona really want is Manchester United to make some kind of financial contribution to those unpaid wages, which will be quite an extraordinary turn of events."

Ten Hag is hoping to be reunited with De Jong. Image: Alamy

United's pre season hasn't gone according to plan so far, with the delay in trying to sign De Jong meaning only Tyrell Malacia has been signed so far.

They're expecting Christian Eriksen to join as well but Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to leave has knocked their plans, with John Murtough allowing the forward to find a new club.

The first piece of good news for their pre season came on Tuesday however, in their first summer fixture against fierce rivals Liverpool.

Fred scored a brilliant chipped goal in the first half, as they put up an impressive 3-0 lead against the Premier League and Champions League runners up.