Barcelona offered Manchester United a swap deal, seeking defender Harry Maguire from the Premier League side for the Catalans’ Dutch midfielder, Frenkie de Jong, The Sun reported. 

However, the English side didn’t want to part with their £80 million defenders since former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is eager to work with him, as per the publication. 

United are now moving to a cash deal with Barcelona for the de Jong move, which will cost around €85 million, Fabrizio Romano reported. The news of the swap deal has raised many eyebrows due to the somewhat comical status the English professional footballer has attained among United fans and football viewers elsewhere. 

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Maguire, aged 29, has had a shambolic season, scoring own goals, making errors in defending, and in one case even drawing blood from his own teammate during a game. Fans have been irate and the defender even received a bomb scare in April. 

Despite ten Hag’s reported interest in working with Maguire, it begs the question of why Xavi would want the Englishman on his squad. Keeping the jokes about Maguire’s performance and form aside, Barcelona might be in need of a defender. 

Spaniard Gerard Pique, who was one of the most promising La Masia students, before joining the United Academy in 2004, has perhaps come to an end of his run with Barcelona. The mainstay defender has had a terrible season and his split with Shakira hasn’t helped matters. Spanish outlet Sport reported that Xavi had a meeting with his former teammate, informing him he wouldn’t be needed in the next season. 

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While this explains the possible vacuum that has to be filled, Barcelona’s choice still seems odd, given Maguire’s recent record. However, the club’s financials must be taken into account, as well as how stretched things are likely to be with the La Liga side trying to land Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. 

Thus, a swap deal would have likely seen Barcelona get some money for the Dutch midfielder that United are bent on landing, as well as a potentially solid defender in one go. For now, however, Maguire remains at United and the club fans can only hope for improved performances in the coming season.