De Jong reveals fury at pressure to join Man Utd: 'I never seriously considered it'

Frenkie de Jong has dismissed any suggestion he came close to joining Manchester United, telling Spanish outlet SPORT that persistent media pressure over a potential transfer left him furious enough to cut off all contact with journalists.

The Barcelona midfielder, 29, has been repeatedly linked with a move to Old Trafford since Erik ten Hag — his former Ajax manager — took charge of United in 2022 and identified De Jong as his primary midfield target. Despite the relentless speculation, the Dutchman says the answer was always the same.

“There was a time when they pressured me to leave the club, and there came a point when I was very angry and didn’t want to talk anymore,” De Jong said. “People only hear opinions or things through the press and newspapers, and they don’t listen to you.”

De Jong acknowledged that Barcelona’s precarious financial situation in 2023 added genuine uncertainty to his future. He revealed that while he consistently rejected approaches from other clubs, some figures inside the Catalan club were tempted by the offers on the table.

“There are always teams that call players to ask if they want to come or not, and I always said no,” he explained. “What happened that summer is that, even though I said no, some teams came to the club and offered money for me. And within Barca — not everyone, but some people — thought they were good offers and wanted to sell me.”

He conceded that the sustained pressure did briefly force its way into his thinking. “That summer I was very clear that I didn’t want to leave. But of course, something always crosses your mind when you’re under pressure or when there’s a situation like that. You think, ‘Maybe I have to leave,’ or ‘Perhaps it would be better for me to go to another team.’” He was quick to add, however, that those thoughts never hardened into serious intent.

The uncertainty has since been resolved. De Jong extended his contract with the club to 2029 earlier this season, committing the remainder of his prime years to Barcelona. He also reflected on his decision to go silent with the media, calling it a mistake that allowed others to shape the public’s perception of him.

De Jong was speaking ahead of joining the Netherlands squad for their World Cup 2026 preparations in North America, marking the end of a media blackout that had lasted the better part of two years.