I thought it was a match made in heaven, but it's turned out to be a lot worse than I thought. Since joining Barcelona, Frenkie de Jong has been unable to reach the high level of performance that he should be achieving.

A transfer has rarely made as much sense as it does right now. A young midfielder who was raised and educated in the classic Dutch 'total football' philosophy, who had established himself as one of the finest young midfielders in Europe, particularly renowned for his excellent passing and tight control, taking the well-worn path from Ajax to Barcelona, a trail that had been blazed decades earlier by John Cruyff and the ties between which remain strong to this day.

From the establishment of the La Masia academy to the manner of life on the field, Cruyff and the values he taught at Camp Nou are largely responsible for the formation of Barcelone's identity and way of life. De Jong appeared to be the newest manifestation of this, the heir to Xavi's throne and the perfect player for the perfect squad, having been bought from the perfect club. De Jong has been compared to a modern-day Xavi. It couldn't possibly go wrong, could it?

It has, in a sense, in certain ways. This was not entirely due to factors beyond the midfielder's or any other players' control, since Barcelona nearly came apart in the two years after he joined the club in 2019, and are only now beginning to stitch themselves back together again, albeit with the occasional rip in the fabric.

The arrival of De Jong did not mark the beginning of an era of liquid football in Catalonia, but instead he was forced to suffer alongside his teammates as a result of Barca's financial mismanagement. As a result, they lost their icon and the best player of all time, and they were forced to give players they had spent tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions, of dollars on away for next to nothing.

To correct a $13 million transfer oversight, Man Utd may already have an Alex Telles replacement.

For a brief moment, the threat of such a historic, large club going out of business became a real possibility because to embarrassing exits from the Champions League and a lack of serious competition for the league title on the field.

At this point in his career, De Jong has just one trophy, the Copa del Rey, and he hasn't been able to move on at the rate that was expected. As a result, he has stalled and stumbled, rather than progressing to his destiny as the world's next best midfielder. As a result, there have been numerous references to a possible departure this summer.

Barcelona manager Xavi has insisted on numerous occasions that he does not want to lose De Jong, and he admitted just a few days ago that he has not spoken to the midfielder about his future. "I haven't spoken to him about his future," Xavi admitted ahead of Sunday's La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano.

"He is performing at an extremely high level and must continue to do so — he has the potential to be one of the top midfielders in the world for many years to come. If it were up to me, I would stay for many more years in this position. He is extremely important and has the potential to usher in a new era in this country. He must score goals, provide assists, and play the role of the protagonist."

While this may be the case, the harsh reality is that Barcelona are still starved for cash and aren't in a position to turn down significant bids for players, particularly those who aren't home-grown prodigies. The emergence of players like as Pedri and Gavi into the first team's midfield suggests that Barca may consider De Jong expendable, since he is one of the few players who they could sell without incurring a reaction from supporters while still commanding a large transfer fee.

It is imperative that Manchester United take use of the current scenario to their advantage. For years, the midfield has been the most concerning of the team's numerous weak points, which has been exacerbated by the fact that it has been frequently overlooked while extravagant investment has been directed elsewhere in the squad. It's gotten to the point where one signing may not even be enough because Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic will both be leaving in the summer, so at the very least two players need be brought in to replenish the squad in that position.

To their credit, the Red Devils have finally realized the error of their ways and have decided to prioritize the middle this summer. While a move for Declan Rice, who would be unavailable due to a lack of Champions League games and a high asking price, is now being discussed, a deal for Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips, who would provide stability in the middle of the park, is also being discussed.

However, there is still room for a more creative player to be brought in, and De Jong couldn't be a better fit for the position. Porous, but also devoid of imagination and equipped just with the capacity to recycle the ball and build attacking patterns, United's midfield is a major liability on the pitch Dutchman is capable of provide all of these attributes even if his performance in Spain was disappointing. He is still only 24 years old and has plenty of time to make a full recovery.

Additionally, the connection to Erik ten Hag cannot be overlooked. Former United manager Louis van Gaal was the one who originally introduced De Jong into the first squad, developed his abilities, and eventually transformed him into a £75million player. Their partnership in Amsterdam was a huge success, and playing under a coach De Jong is already familiar with should make his transition to the club much easier.... In fact, the more players Ten Hag can sign who are already prepared to meet his criteria, the more likely it is that the rest of the squad will be able to adjust to those needs as well.

Signing De Jong would almost certainly be prohibitively expensive, but United must show their support for their new manager, and there are few better ways to do so than by bringing in one of the best players he has ever had under his charge.