Erik ten Hag may be about to sign his own ‘Wesley Sneijder’ for Man Utd this summer
MANCHESTER UNITED famously wanted Wesley Sneijder when Sir Alex Ferguson ruled the roost - now Erik ten Hag may land his own version of the Dutchman instead.
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This summer, Manchester United want to sign a midfielder. And it’s emerged that Frenkie de Jong of Barcelona is their No 1 target as Erik ten Hag looks to make his mark. Compared to Wesley Sneijder, the Red Devils can finally make amends for failing to land the Netherlands international back in the days of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Any deal for De Jong won’t be easy for United to strike.
They’re set to be without Champions League football, having failed to qualify for the competition for the fourth time in nine years.
De Jong is happy to stay at Barcelona, having arrived from Ajax with big expectations back in the summer transfer window of 2019.
And, if he was to be forced out, he’d rather go to a team with a winning project. Manchester City and Bayern Munich, in particular, have also been linked.
But that hasn’t stopped United, and Ten Hag, from dreaming of a sensational move to Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have seen many Dutch players thrive at the club, from Ruud van Nistelrooy to Robin van Persie, Edwin van der Sar to Daley Blind.
Man Utd transfer news: Erik ten Hag can amend Wesley Sneijder mistake this summer (Image: GETTY)
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But one player who previously got away from the Red Devils was Sneijder, who Ferguson wanted to sign during his tenure.
In 2010, reports came out saying the Dutchman was close to joining the club after dazzling for Inter Milan in Serie A.
Yet United ended up missing out, settling for the arrivals of the likes of David De Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young instead.
De Jong has been compared to Sneijder, however, and United can now make amends for that mistake.
It was former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas, speaking in 2019, who said the 25-year-old had similarities with Sneijder and Rafael Van der Vaart.
"De Jong has that technique, the same as players in the class of Van der Vaart and Sneijder,” he said.