Manchester United: Fresh twist in Frenkie de Jong transfer saga as fee agreed

Manchester United's long-running pursuit of Frenkie de Jong has taken another twist after Barcelona included the midfielder in their pre-season tour of the USA.

That's despite Barca reportedly agreeing on Thursday to sell the Dutchman to United for a guaranteed £63m – a fee which could rise to over £70m, according to The Athletic.

With personal terms yet to be agreed, could this be a sign that De Jong's future might yet lie in Catalonia? After all, the 25-year-old is said to be reluctant to move to Old Trafford.

And Blaugrana president Joan Laporta insisted on Friday that the club are under no pressure to offload De Jong, even with their precarious finances leaving them in a position where they really ought to be raising funds through sales.

Speaking to the media as Barca unveiled Raphinha following his arrival from Leeds, Laporta said:

"It is not true that the club is forced to sell Frenkie de Jong. His trip to the US will be decided by Xavi."

Earlier this week, Spanish outlet AS (via Metro) claimed that De Jong's relationship with Xavi has become more fraught than ever – so is he in his manager's longer-term plans or simply there to make up the numbers in pre-season?

Time will tell – and with the transfer window still open for another six-and-a-half weeks, dare we say there's time for further twists yet...?