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Frenkie de Jong has revealed he did contemplate accepting Manchester United's transfer approach back in 2022.
The Barcelona midfielder was widely regarded as Erik ten Hag's primary target when the Dutchman took charge at United that summer. Ten Hag had a strong working relationship with De Jong from their time together at Ajax, though the midfielder had featured prominently on United's radar long before Ten Hag's appointment.
While Barcelona were eager to offload him and United were keen to bring him in, it was ultimately De Jong himself who pulled the plug on the potential move.
"Of course, it's crossed your mind at times, like, 'O.K., what should I do?'" De Jong told The Guardian.
"So as long as I'm good enough to be a starter here, to make an impact and Barcelona is at the level I want to play at—with the sense that they'll be competing for the major trophies—then there's no reason for me to go."
Man Utd's Mixed Fortunes After De Jong Snub
Aware that they required a defensive midfielder to make Ten Hag's system function effectively, United shifted their attention to Casemiro once it became clear that a deal for De Jong was off the table.
The Brazilian's spell at Old Trafford has been a tale of two halves. Casemiro impressed greatly in his first season but subsequently lost form and fell out of the picture following Ruben Amorim's appointment, whose 3-4-2-1 setup would likely have posed similar challenges for De Jong.
At that stage, it would have been tempting to view United's failure to secure De Jong as a significant missed opportunity, though Casemiro eventually rediscovered his best form and has been one of the key driving forces behind United's revival in the latter stages of this season.
The main drawback of choosing Casemiro over De Jong comes down to age. Having just turned 34, Casemiro is set to depart Old Trafford this summer as he winds down his playing career, whereas De Jong is only approaching his 29th birthday.
The consequence of United opting for the older player means the Red Devils find themselves once again searching for a high-profile midfielder to anchor the base of their midfield.
While there has been speculation surrounding a potential departure from Barcelona for De Jong, the Dutchman appears in no hurry to move on, and United are already identifying high-value targets to strengthen the squad for whoever takes the helm next season.
Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is believed to be the frontrunner on a shortlist that also features Brighton & Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba, Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, all of whom are anticipated to carry substantial price tags.