Five Frenkie De Jong Alternatives for Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United

The ugly beast has reared its head once again. From the very reliable source Simon Stone of the BBC, Manchester United are gearing up for yet another summer-long pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

And just like in the summer past, the never-failing transfer expert Fabrizio Romano followed up with an emphatic confirmation of what everybody apart from the powers that be at Old Trafford appear to know: De Jong is only interested in staying in Catalonia for the foreseeable future… Perhaps for the rest of his career, if he has his way.

As the trendier kids would probably say of the persistence, “It’s giving desperate.” United – like any other European giant, to be fair – could have snapped Enzo Fernandez for a serious bargain summer when he joined Benfica from River Plate for a fee of €12million. The newly-crowned World champion will now cost nearly ten times that, but he leads the way among the list of names we feel United could chase instead of De Jong.

Enzo Fernandez is Wanted by Most Leading Clubs in Europe

Fernandez announced himself on the biggest stage of all, as he mesmerized in the Argentina midfield on La Albiceleste’s way to their first World Cup title in 36 years. Now every top club in Europe is chasing his signature.

Rumors suggesting that an agreement is already in place to take him to Anfield have been recently rubbished. Jurgen Klopp and co. definitely seem to have their sights on Jude Bellingham, but one gets the feeling that should they fail in that pursuit, Enzo will be their next port of call.

Matheus Nunes is Still New to the Premier League

In simple profile terms, there is probably no one on this list who is closer to Frenkie de Jong than Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Nunes. The Portuguese midfielder is adept at dropping to receive the ball from defence, and in that eye-catching, press-resistant fashion, driving forward and opening up the pitch for his teammates.

Like Enzo, Nunes has only been at his current club for a few months. For €45 million plus add-ons, he is in fact Wolves’ record signing. If it is even possible to prise him away from Molineux, Manchester United might have to come close to breaking their own transfer record.

Frank Zambo Anguissa Could Be a Bargain for Manchester United

Erik Ten Hag built his most successful Ajax side around the guile and energy of de Jong in midfield. The same cannot be said exactly for Ryan Gravenberch in the 2021/22 team, but the towering Dutchman was pencilled in for a similar driving role in the engine room.

Napoli midfielder Frank Zambo Anguissa offers a dominating physicality defensively, while also being excellent in his passing and dribbling metrics. He is already well-versed with the rigours of the Premier League, and would likely cost only a fraction of what it would take to secure Fernandez or Nunes.

Could Ismael Bennacer’s Height Be a Problem?

A lot has been made this season about the height of Lisandro Martinez, one of Manchester United’s summer signings. The diminutive centre-back has responded excellently to those questions, becoming a bedrock in the Red Devils’ rearguard, while also playing a crucial role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph.

Still, United will be weary of adding too many short players to their roster. Ismael Bennacer stands at 5′ 9″, the same height as Martinez. He is similarly combative and smooth on the ball, however, and would make a great partner for Casemiro… at least on paper. The former Arsenal star only has 18 months left on his contract, which could turn him into a very affordable option.

Kouadio Kone Is Still Rough Around the Edges

Kouadio Manu Kone is another player who fits the #8 profile that Ten Hag is said to be looking for. If the Dutch manager does not mind signing a young player who is still raw and developing, Kone could turn out to be a masterstroke acquisition in two- or three-years’ time. The main argument against investing in the young French midfielder is that Manchester United already have a number of their own, budding number eights coming through the ranks.

Zidane Iqbal appears closest to breaking through into the first team, while Hannibal Mejbri is having a decent season on loan to Birmingham City. Kobie Mainoo is perhaps the standout player currently in United’s academy, and will also be laying claim to the same exact position when his opportunity comes around.

Follow Daniel Rugunya on Twitter at @danrugunya