The arrival of Reuben Amorim al Manchester United has brought with him a unexpected change of plans in the Red Devils transfer market, something that has already had a direct impact on the movements that the FC Barcelona had planned. After the departure of Erik Ten Hagthe coach who had made Frenkie De Jong one of his favorites, Amorim has taken control of the English club and has already made it clear that he does not contemplate dutch international in your project. This decision disrupts Barça’s plans, which saw United as one of the main candidates to acquire De Jong’s services next summer and achieve an important financial injection.
The operation, which seemed on track to continue Ten Hag at the helm of United, has now lost steam with the arrival of Amorim. The Portuguese coach has shown in his time at Sporting de Portugal that he is betting on another profile of players for the midfield, and Frenkie does not fit his style of play. This situation leaves Barça without a clear destination for the player, at a time when the Barça club seeks to lighten the salary bill and balance its finances.
A setback for Barça’s economy
Barça had placed its hopes in the possible sale of De Jong to help stabilize your accounts. The Dutch midfielder is one of the club’s highest-paid players and his departure would allow for lightening the salary burden of a squad that continues to look for formulas to adjust to LaLiga’s economic restrictions. The operation with United was seen as a clear and almost closed path, since Ten Hag He had insisted on several occasions on the importance of having De Jong, a footballer who fits perfectly into his style of play, based on ball control and tactical intelligence.
However, Amorim has other plans. His arrival represents a direct setback to Barça’s intentions and poses a new challenge for the sports management, which will have to find alternatives in the market if it wishes to finalize the player’s departure. With the entry of Amorim, United will seek to strengthen themselves in other positions and with another midfielder profile, which drastically reduces the chances of De Jong ending up at Old Trafford.
Amorim prioritizes another profile in the core
The Portuguese coach has in mind a more physical and vertical type of gamesomething he has demonstrated in his successful time at Sporting. In their scheme, midfielders are physical players, capable of combining ball recovery with speed and intense transitions. This profile does not entirely coincide with that of Frenkie De Jong, who stands out in systems that prioritize the construction of the game from possession and control, but who is not so characterized by his defensive intensity.
With Manchester United, Amorim seems willing to replicate his model, so his rejection of De Jong is not a whim, but a tactical decision. In this way, Barcelona loses one of the potential buyers for a key player in its squad, and will now have to analyze whether to keep Frenkie as a fundamental piece in the team or if it explores other clubs that could be interested in a possible incorporation next summer. For Barça, each market operation has a relevant impact, and this has represented an unexpected obstacle that further complicates the path towards the financial stability they seek.
