Manchester United have put forward a €50m offer for Erik ten Hag’s top midfield target, with the transfer reluctantly approved pending a higher bid.

Manchester United have made a €50m bid for a midfielder Erik ten Hag has long desired, although the initial offer has been rejected. The bid was for Frenkie de Jong, a player Ten Hag has been keen on since taking over at United. However, Barcelona is holding out for a better offer, reportedly seeking €70m plus €15m in add-ons.

United are also nearing the completion of deals for Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs De Ligt from Bayern Munich. Both players arrived in Manchester for medicals, and barring any last-minute issues, they will soon join the squad. Mazraoui and De Ligt will be the club’s third and fourth major signings of the summer, following Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.

The combined cost of these signings, including future add-ons, is approximately £148.3m. The guaranteed portion of De Ligt’s deal will be paid in instalments over three years. Despite this significant outlay, United are expected to make at least one more major signing.

The club is particularly focused on strengthening their central midfield. They plan to make room for this new signing by selling one or more of Casemiro, Scott McTominay, or Christian Eriksen.

Initially, United targeted PSG’s Manuel Ugarte, but they were deterred by PSG’s €60m asking price. This fee, reflecting the amount PSG paid to acquire Ugarte from Sporting CP last year, led United to reconsider their options.

Reports suggest that United’s renewed focus is on Frenkie de Jong, who was Ten Hag’s top target when he first joined the club. While United had previously missed out on De Jong in favor of signing Casemiro, they are now making another push for him.

Barcelona’s change in management has shifted the dynamics. Xavi, who was a key obstacle in the previous transfer attempt, is no longer with the club. The new manager, Hansi Flick, and Barcelona are now open to selling De Jong to fund their own acquisitions.

United’s current bid of €50m is far below Barcelona’s expectations. The club is holding out for an improved offer that could reach €85m, including add-ons. This would represent a substantial increase from United’s initial bid.

If the reports are accurate, and with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s apparent determination to fulfill Ten Hag’s wish, United will need to significantly raise their offer. The figure needed to secure De Jong is now clear, and negotiations are expected to continue.