Manchester United have been strongly linked with a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

United are keen on buying  the 25-year-old, and Barcelona seem happy to sell in order to balance the books.

However, De Jong is not keen on leaving the Nou Camp and had made his point clear in an interview with Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, where he admitted that Barcelona is his dream club.

The 25-year-old said: “I have enough confidence in myself [to be a success at Barcelona]. I am not afraid.

“I recently spoke extensively with the trainer [Xavi]. That was a very good conversation.

“I will not go into that [the links to United]. Not even about other names or clubs.

“I used to be naive and open-minded about it. I don’t do that anymore.

“I understand that that link is made. That sum is not that difficult, it is logical.

“I have enjoyed working with Ten Hag at Ajax – and I can’t look into the future, of course. But I prefer to stay at Barcelona.

“That has always been my dream club and it still is. As long as I don’t hear from the club management, I assume nothing is going on.”