The clubs remain in touch, with Eric ten Hague making the Dutchman a medium priority target in his first summer as United manager. The couple worked together for a year and a half in Ajax. Barcelona estimates De Jong at around 85 million euros and may be willing to sell due to its financial situation. An agreement would make it easier for them to chase players like Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski. De Jong is not pushing to leave Barcelona – he told the Guardian in February that he hoped to stay “for many more years” – and if he moved, his preference would be to join a team in the Champions League. United have qualified for next season’s Europa League, but hope that the presence of Ten Haag and their planned rebuilding could convince the 25-year-old to participate. Darwin Núñez is on United’s wish list, but Liverpool are facing the battle to acquire the Benfica striker. They have made a formal offer to buy the Uruguay international for 80 million euros plus extras, as expected, and are ready to give Nunez a five-year contract. Discussions are ongoing between Liverpool and Benfica over the scale of the additions, which could be worth up to € 20 million, and how the fee will be paid, with Liverpool favoring the installments.
