Two Premier League midfielders on Man United’s shortlist if De Jong deal falls through

Manchester United are considering moves for two Premier League midfielders if their pursuit of top target Frenkie de Jong fails. 

The Red Devils have been keen on the Barcelona midfielder all summer as they look to replace Paul Pogba and bolster their midfield, but recent reports have suggested that the Dutchman may snub a move to Old Trafford and instead stay put in Catalunya.

With that in mind, United have identified a shortlist of players who they could turn to, as Alex Crook explained.

“I think they should probably walk away sooner, to be honest, bearing in mind the first contact between Manchester United and Barcelona was the middle of May – we are almost in the middle of July,” he said.

“This is a ridiculous situation. It has been a saga for too long. Either it’s going to happen or it’s not.

“I know Manchester United have a back-up list. Youri Tielemans is on that list, as I understand it, as is Ruben Neves from Wolves.

Man United could look to Tielemans if they fail to land De Jong

“I would call Barcelona’s bluff now and say ‘either you sell him to us, or we will pay the same money and sign Ruben Neves’. He’s a player who is proven in the Premier League.”

Belgian international Tielemans has established himself as one of the best Premier League players outside of the traditional ‘top six’ since his arrival in January 2019, and he has also been linked with other clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool.

Tielemans, 25, has played more than 150 matches for the Foxes in that time, scoring 24 goals and providing the same number of assists.

Neves, meanwhile, has been a target of United’s for a long while, and has been heavily linked with a departure from current club Wolves in recent months.

The Portuguese is expected to be available for around £50 million, while Tielemans could be cheaper at £30-£35 million as he is entering into the final 12 months of his contract.