Frenkie de Jong is a goal for Manchester United this summer, and securing the Barcelona midfielder might be crucial for Erik ten Hag.

How Manchester United midfield rebuild can start with Frenkie de Jong transfer
Frenkie de Jong is a goal for Manchester United this summer, and securing the Barcelona midfielder might be crucial for Erik ten Hag.

Frenkie de Jong did not score or assist during Ajax’s historic march to the brink of a Champions League final in Erik ten Hag’s first season in command, but he may well have been the most impressive player in that most unexpected voyage.

Those two homegrown products starred in a stunning 12-game run, with De Jong starting 11 of them and only missing the first group game with Bayern Munich due to injury. The campaign would end with his stats column empty, but De Jong was about more than the goals and assists. He was the pass master for Ajax, setting the tempo and the rhythm for Ten Hag’s side.