Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag knows he must resist the temptation of Frenkie de Jong

Manchester United were embroiled in a transfer saga with Barcelona last summer when Erik ten Hag pursued Frenkie de Jong

Manchester United’s transfer saga last summer revolved around Frenkie de Jong.

The Dutch midfielder was a key target for Erik ten Hag as he sought to rebuild United’s squad. However, confusion reigned as the Reds moved from pillar to pillar.

One week he was not for sale, the next Barca were open to offers. Eventually, the deal fell through and De Jong stayed at Camp Nou as they won La Liga. In December, MEN Sport reported that Ten Hag were not averse to targeting the midfielder again, but this weekend Xavi issued a seemingly final warning.

He told Movistar Plus: “I need two signings in midfield. I’m missing a full back and with the departure of [Sergio] Busquets we also need a pivot. That has to be the priority.

“He IS (De Jong) our most chaotic player in the order. It has impressive virtues. He’s a great player. We found him the perfect job. He only needs the last pass to dare more.

If this message was for United, Xavi shouldn’t have cared. Ten Hag has learned his lesson not to get involved in another De Jong transfer saga. The Manchester Evening News has learned that Chelsea’s Mason Mount has agreed personal terms with the club. While an agreement on a fee has not yet been reached, United are confident of finalizing the deal.

Unlike De Jong, Mount appears to have been clear about his intentions to leave Chelsea in search of a new challenge. While he may have dodged the question when he was ambushed at the Barcelona Grand Prix, the England international’s lack of words of comfort to Blues fans spoke volumes about his future.

United’s summer transfer window could have been derailed by pursuit of De Jong. While they narrowly avoided him last year, Ten Hag knows full well that this time around he will have to avoid the 26-year-old completely.