Barcelona plan to make Manchester United transfer target their top target during the summer transfer window after hiring Ronald Koeman as their new head coach, according to reports. Barca are expected to confirm Koeman’s appointment in the next few days and target Donny van de Beek.
According to French outlet Le10 Sport, he has picked one of his national stars as his first transfer target, though it’s bad news for United.
Van De Beek is apparently being eyed up as one of Barca’s top targets this summer, with Koeman keen to link him up with his former Ajax team-mate Frenkie de Jong.
United had been keen on signing the Ajax star, who had a terrific season in the Eredivisie, and he was close to joining Real Madrid last summer before the move fell through.
However now, Barca are ready to swoop in and sign the 23-year-old midfielder, who has recently admitted he doesn’t know whether he will leave this summer or not.
He told Fox Sports: “”It is very messy, in any case a very messy period in terms of transfers.
“Nothing is certain yet. I am still a player of Ajax and I am still proud to be there.
“If there had not been the coronavirus, it might have been different now.
“There is no clarity now and we have to wait and see how it turns out.
I’m still here and after all these years I still have a lot of fun.
“If I also play at Ajax next season, I still have a lot of fun. You won’t hear me complaining.”
It could be the first of two deals between Barca and Ajax this summer, with reports suggesting Luis Suarez could be headed the other way.
Spanish outlet SPORT reports that Ajax are interested in re-signing their old striker, who is apparently up for sale this summer.
Barca were humiliated and dumped out of the Champions League on Friday night as Bayern Munich thumped them 8-2 in Portugal.
After the game, news quickly broke that Quique Setien would lose his job, and that Lionel Messi had decided to leave the club.
Now, it appears Koeman is set to take over from Setien and will split his time with his role as Netherlands head coach