Manchester United's drawn out saga of signing Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona has happened far too often, and he might not be worth it, according to The Guardian's John Brewin.
Erik Ten hag has made it clear that he is interested in signing the Dutch midfielder from the Spanish giants during the current transfer window.
However, currently there is a hold up on the deal, as reports suggest that Barcelona would be required to pay the midfielder €17 million if the deal were to go through.
The delay to the deal has left United fans wondering whether they will indeed have a new midfielder in the coming season. However, Brewin has seen this movie before.
Speaking on The Football Show on Tuesday, Brewin sympathised with the United fans.
"I think that the dreaded scenario for Manchester United fans is a midfield of Fred and Scott McTominay lining up," Brewin said. "Both of whom are decent players that probably need a better player around them."
Manchester United get into this situation too often
Brewin questioned whether Manchester United had fully thought through entering into a business deal with Barcelona. However, he also acknowledged that this is not the first time Old Trafford has fallen victim to endless transfer complications.
"If I was in the football business, I really would not be wanting to rely on Barcelona at this point," Brewin said. "Their activities appear to be a little shifty, if I can say that.
"Owing a guy €17 million or whatever it is, and then expecting him not to want that money because he loves the club? That's an interesting way of looking at things, isn't it?
"It is almost like a Manchester United tradition, isn't it? Those big players that fans have pinned their hopes on all summer, and then they've not arrived.
"Cesc Fàbregas infamously in the summer of 2013. Before that, Wesley Schneider was linked every summer. Mesut Özil was one. There just seems to be this one player, and what often happens is they arrive the next year.
"Manchester United get themselves in these terrible tangles that get played out publicly. They get played by the Spanish clubs."
Is De Jong quite worth all the fuss?
While De Jong is undoubtedly talented, Brewin wondered whether he was quite worth the efforts that Ten Hag and the United staff have put in to trying to sign him.
"De Jong is obviously a talented player," Brewin said. "Obviously Ten Hag will know him well. But I'm not sure that the player that I've seen when I've watched Barcelona is quite worth this fuss.
"I don't know quite what I am supposed to be seeing here. Actually, the fact that Barcelona are willing to get rid of him suggests that they hold a not dissimilar view to me on that as well."
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