MANCHESTER UNITED are eyeing moves for Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham if they fail to sign Frenkie de Jong, according to reports.
The Red Devils have been chasing the Dutch midfielder since May, with new boss Erik ten Hag eager to link up with his former Ajax starlet again.
After weeks of haggling the Red Devils thought they had agreed a deal last month.
The Athletic claim that United believed they had sealed a £71million package with Barcelona on July 14, only for it to stall.
Three weeks on they are no closer to signing the 25-year-old, with other targets beginning to emerge.
The report adds that the Red Devils would like to move for Rice or Bellingham if they fail to get Ten Hag’s man.
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But frustratingly for them, neither are available this summer.
West Ham have offered Rice an eight-year contract worth £93m but he has turned it down.
His current contract has two years to run, but the Hammers possess an option to extend Rice’s deal to 2025.
Bellingham’s Dortmund contract also has three years remaining.
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Barca insiders believe that De Jong’s exit has been delayed by millions in unpaid wages that he is owed.
Despite transfer speculation, he played for Xavi’s side on their US tour.
Man United remain “convinced” that De Jong wants to move to Old Trafford, despite reports from Spain stating the contrary.
Chelsea are claimed to be readying a move to hijack United’s deal.
Red Devils legend Gary Neville claimed this week that his old side have been an “embarrassment” in the transfer window this summer.
He told The Overlap in association with Sky Bet: “I said this about Sancho and it’s the same now with De Jong – it gets to the point where a signing that should be an excitement for the club drags on that long that actually in the end you actually lose excitement for the signing, it almost becomes a little bit of an embarrassment.”
Should United fail to sign De Jong, Rice or Bellingham, they could swoop to sign Youri Tielemans or Ruben Neves.
The Belgian has one year remaining on his Leicester contract, while Neves’ at Wolves expires in 2024.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
