Barcelona news: Xavi favourite on the way out as first bid arrives

Xavi is compromising to help Barcelona balance finances going into the summer transfer market

Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong by making their first offer. The Red Devils are eager to bring the Dutch midfielder to Old Trafford this summer to reunite him with former manager Erik Ten Hag.

De Jong joined Barcelona during the January transfer window in 2019 in a deal worth €75 million from Ajax. The Netherlands international was among the most coveted players in Europe after his heroics in the Champions League with the Eredivisie club.

The 25-year-old has been a regular in the Barcelona starting XI since his move, but has failed to recapture the form that earned him the move. Xavi Hernandez rates De Jong highly, but the manager needs to compromise owing to the Catalan club's ongoing financial problems.

De Jong wants to remain at the Camp Nou, where he has a contract until the summer of 2026. However, Barcelona's need to slash their wage bill and generate funds could dictate his future at the club.

Lionel Messi with Frenkie de Jong at the end of Barcelona's 2-0 win away to Juventus Marco BERTORELLO/AFP

The Catalan giants are aware of the interest in De Jong and are keen to capitalise on his value. According to Marca, they are willing to sell the creative midfielder if the right offer arrives, and United are said to have made a tempting first offer.

The Red Devils, who are in the market for a new midfielder following the departures of Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba, have offered an initial €60 million plus €20 million in add-ons. It is an offer that Barcelona are considering seriously, as it comes close to their €85 million valuation of the player.

De Jong has reiterated his desire to remain in Barcelona on more than one occasion this summer. Moreover, if he is to leave the Catalan capital, he wants to join a club that offers Champions League football, which the Premier League club cannot offer currently.

However, United are hoping that a chance to reunite with his former Ajax manager can sway him. Ten Hag is expected to have already contacted De Jong about coming to Old Trafford with the promise of building a team around his talents.

If De Jong gives his consent to move this summer, there is likely to be a number of other clubs interested in signing the talented midfielder. Manchester City have been previously linked with the midfielder, while the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain could also enter the race.