Man Utd ‘made video of De Jong with legends’ to ‘persuade’ Barcelona star to reunite with Ten Hag
Things could have been so different for Erik ten Hag had he managed to convince Frenkie de Jong to join Manchester United.
Ten Hag managed De Jong at Ajax and wanted to bring him to Old Trafford in his first summer at the club.
The midfielder had no interest in joining Man Utd though, even after FC Barcelona accepted a £75million bid from the Premier League side.
The Red Devils ended up signing Casemiro from Real Madrid as an alternative and the Brazilian was a massive success in 2022/23 before a dismal 2023/24 campaign.
De Jong and Casemiro are completely different midfielders, with the latter much more physical, while the former is an incredible ball carrier and capable of transitioning his team from defence to attack seamlessly.
Perhaps the Netherlands international was the missing piece and had Ten Hag been able to sign him in the 2022 summer transfer window, Man Utd would have performed much better in the last two years.
Man Utd ‘made a video of De Jong with club legends’ to ‘persuade’ Ten Hag reunion
A lengthy report from The Athletic looks at Ten Hag’s reign and the club’s managerial search following the decision to dismiss the former Ajax manager on Monday.
In the report, his Ajax-heavy recruitment is noted as a contributing factor to his ‘requests to be given more time for his methods to click given less credence’.
Even after a new ownership model was in place, Ten Hag still got his paws on Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in the summer transfer window, two more players he managed in the Dutch capital.
It is revealed that the 54-year-old wanted Ryan Gravenberch last summer, a similar midfielder to De Jong and another ex-Ajax player.
Bayern told Man Utd that Gravenberch ‘was not for sale’ and the Red Devils signed Mason Mount instead, someone who does not play as a No. 6, and after failing to break into Thomas Tuchel’s team, the Dutchman signed for Liverpool.
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Interestingly, it has been revealed that Man Utd ‘made a video of De Jong mocked up next to some of their club legends’ in a bizarre attempt to convince him to reunite with Ten Hag.
De Jong would have been perfect for Ten Hag, whose ‘vision is for proactive and fluid attack and defence as one team’ which has ‘a large emphasis on a No. 6’.
No De Jong or Gravenberch ‘meant compromises the whole way’ to being sacked.
The report states that Ten Hag’s overall recruitment failed to convince and legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson believed his signings were ‘below the level necessary’.
In Ten Hag’s first season, he also advocated for Jurrien Timber, now of Arsenal, before deciding on Martinez.
The collection of ex-Ajax players meant that Ten Hag’s requests to be given more time for his methods to click were given less credence. These were signings already well-versed in his style.
He never did get a No 6 in the mould required to fulfil his team’s identity though, following the failed attempt for Frenkie de Jong (another Ajax alumnus) from Barcelona in 2022. United even went as far as making a video of De Jong mocked up next to some of their club legends in an attempt to persuade him to join. But he never saw it.
Ten Hag’s vision is for proactive and fluid attack and defence as one team, rather than divisions of labour, meaning a large emphasis is placed on a No 6 as orchestrator. No De Jong, or a player of his ilk, meant compromises the whole way.
There were consistent queries from some at the club over whether the players being targeted were Premier League-ready. United legend Sir Alex Ferguson, still the last manager to make them champions 11 years ago now, has expressed an opinion to friends that signings have been below the level necessary.
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