Manchester City Abandons Pursuit of De Jong

Frenkie de Jong is close to continuing with Barcelona, despite Manchester City's interest in signing him during the current summer transfer window, as the midfielder is tied to a contract with the Catalan club until 2029.

According to Spanish newspaper "Sport", De Jong is currently focused on recovering from his injury, and unless there is a sudden change, he will continue to work under Hans Flick. The news linking him to a move to Juventus does not align with his current plans.

Manchester City has been closely following Frenkie de Jong's situation, with Enzo Maresca being one of the Dutch player's biggest admirers, seeing him as a suitable element to lead the team's midfield rebuild.

However, Frenkie de Jong's injury changed Manchester City's plans, prompting them to explore other options. They have signed Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest for around £116 million, marking a record deal for the English club.

Manchester City has reached an agreement with Lille to sign Ayoub Bouaddi for around €95 million, plus €5 million in add-ons. Meanwhile, Mariska is still keen on adding another midfielder, with names like Enzo Fernández and Adam Warton among the options being considered.

With the transfer market closing in, it seems Manchester City has turned its back on signing Frenkie de Jong, having already spent over €200 million on Ederson and Bounou. Meanwhile, the Dutch player wishes to remain with Barcelona, who are keen to retain his services.