Revealed : Ten hag reveals how his team will line up with this two new signings the world call the New “Xavi and Iniesta’’

 

In recent weeks, Manchester United have

 been linked with Barcelona Frankie

 de Jong. Compared to Andres Iniesta 

and Xavi when he first moved to La 

Liga in 2019, the Netherlands

 international is still regarded as one 

of the best midfielders in world football

. And a reunion with Erik ten Hag, 

it seems, could be on the cards this summer.

In 2019, De Jong seemed to burst

 onto the scene.

He sparkled for Ajax as they reached 

the semi-finals of the Champions League

, with his slick performance against 

Real Madrid that year particularly

 memorable.

As a classy midfielder capable of dictating

 play, creating and scoring, De Jong 

immediately drew comparisons with

 Xavi and Iniesta when he first moved

 to Barcelona.

Not that he liked them, however.

"I don't want to be compared 

with those players," De Jong told Barca 

TV in the immediate aftermath of 

his arrival.

"It's the perfect club for a midfielder

. They hold onto the ball well, they 

control the play, it suits me perfectly."

And De Jong, at times throughout his

 Barcelona career, has struggled to 

emerge from the shadows of the two

 Catalan legends.

De Jong had improved when Xavi took

 charge earlier in the campaign but, in 

recent matches, has struggled to make

 his mark.

He was particularly bad over the weekend

 as Barcelona lost 1-0 to Rayo Vallecano

 in a defeat that damages their hopes 

of clinching Champions League football

 for next season.

And United, as well as PSG and Bayern

 Munich, have all been mooted as potential

 suitors for the player.

If the Red Devils win the race, then it will

 certainly be an exciting signing.

Sure, there’s no denying De Jong has 

struggled at times since his arrival 

at Barcelona despite his obvious qualities.

But, on his day, the 24-year-old is one 

of the best midfielders in world 

football. Certainly, he’s among the classiest.

De Jong is reportedly self-critical and 

knows he needs to improve.

But Xavi, as well as Ronald Koeman and 

Ernesto Valverde, has failed to consistently

 get the best from the Ajax star.

Ten Hag, however, knows all about De Jong.

It was he who helped mould his compatriot

 into the superstar he is today, with their 

education at Ajax together key for the 

youngster’s development.

And with De Jong said to be unhappy at 

his current role at Barcelona, after 

being subbed off against Vallecano, 

a summer reunion could be on the cards.

While he hated those comparisons with 

Xavi and Iniesta, a De Jong at his best 

is reminiscent of the pair.

Barcelona, for their part, don’t want to let

 the player go.

But with the club needing to make a 

big sale before June 30 in order to balance

 their finances, it’s possible their 

resolve will be tested.

And their potential loss can be United’s

 potential gain.

Midfield is certainly an area Ten Hag

 will need to address when he takes 

charge of the Red Devils at the end 

of the season.

And there’s still question marks over 

whether Donny van de Beek is really 

good enough to play for a team of 

United’s size and stature.

De Jong, make no mistake about it, 

would be a top signing for the Red Devils.

And if he gets back to his Ajax best, 

comparisons with Xavi and Iniesta 

are bound to be made again in the future.