Talks between Manchester United and Barcelona have been accelerating over the last few days for the signing of De Jong for around £56million plus add-ons. It is looking increasingly likely that Erik ten Hag will get his priority purchase this summer, but the key to the success of the move will be ensuring his strengths are played to, and he'll have the perfect manager to do just that.

The now 25-year-old midfielder was used heavily under Ten Hag’s reign at Ajax. He was often deployed as a deep-lying playmaker in a double pivot with a partner. He also played at centre back often alongside Matthijs de Ligt who is now playing for Juventus.

We first saw De Jong operate in a midfield three at Ajax, but when Ten Hag switched to the 4-2-3-1 formation, that’s where we saw the Dutch international’s qualities shine. He is composed when receiving the ball under pressure and is excellent at orchestrating the play from the engine room of the pitch.

Playing in a double pivot allows him to dribble and carry the ball from deep. A midfield partner gives De Jong the comfort of knowing there is support for him to roam higher up the pitch, then enable him to release the ball into an attacker and begin an offensive movement.

In recent seasons, we have seen United line-up with Fred and Scott McTominay in a midfield pivot. Due to their limitations when creating attacks and releasing the ball into the final third, the Reds have often struggled to break down low defensive blocks against oppositions who look to counter-attack, and De Jong could be a vital component in solving this pressing issue, as he was often the glue that gelled Ajax’s attacks together for Ten Hag.

The stats show that in the 2018-19 season De Jong brought his team into the attacking phase more than any other midfielder in Europe. The fear is that if United were hoping think they have solved their defensive midfield problem with De Jong, they could be in for a rude awakening.

When he first joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019, he was picked as the lone number 6 where he had the sole midfield defensive duties. His first two games as a defensive midfielder for the Catalan outfit, both ended in a loss for his side.

His defensive frailties were on display and the best aspect of his game was taken away from him as he wasn’t allowed to progress up the pitch. The now-current United manager Ten Hag knew this all too well and after the midfielder left Ajax he spoke out regarding De Jong’s position.

He said, “He is an adventurer, always on the move. Can you put him at six as the only link? He leaves the middle of the pitch too often for that.”

It's clear why De Jong is Ten Hag’s number one choice for midfield this summer. His ability to spray passes from deep and carry the ball forward into the opposition’s half while linking up with creative players like Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho could be the key to a new and improved look for Manchester United next season.