Manchester United are still interested in signing Frenkie de Jong from FC Barcelona and have asked the Catalans about his availability according to Mundo Deportivo.

United chased De Jong last summer, aware that he was Barca's most sellable asset as they looked to raise money to make new signings.

The Dutchman warmed the Camp Nou bench at the time, and had been shoved out of Xavi Hernandez's first team plans by young Spaniards Gavi and Pedri.

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In mid-July, United had a bid of €85 million ($93 million) accepted for the 26-year-old according to The Athletic only for De Jong to turn down the chance to work with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag once more.

This was nothing personal, with De Jong keen to succeed under Xavi and play in the Champions League which United couldn't offer him at the time.

Digging his heels in, De Jong became a starter once more in the first XI alongside captain Sergio Busquets and was pivotal in Barca's maiden La Liga title win in four years which was also a first for him since joining the club in 2019.

SPORT reported towards the close of last season that De Jong had become an "untouchable" alongside the likes of Pedri, Gavi and Ronald Araujo.

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Last month, however, Mundo Deportivo collaborator Achraf Ben Ayad tweeted that because of Barca's need to sell players, offloading De Jong shouldn't be ruled out "if a special offer arrives".

According to The Sun, Manchester City were mulling over launching a £90 million ($118 million) bid for De Jong after losing out on Declan Rice, which would certainly fall into the "special offer" category.

Back at Mundo Deportivo, the daily newspaper now reports that Barca sources told them United have once again tried to sound out a potential transfer for Ten Hag's "impossible obsession" in De Jong.

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"All talks have fallen on deaf ears", though, and one marked difference this time is that it is not just De Jong who isn't interested in what the Red Devils have to say, but also his employers.

The reasons for this aren't given by MD, but it isn't hard to deduce that with Busquets now on his way to Inter Miami, Barca can't afford to sell De Jong even when considering their financial difficulties.

Barca simply don't boast another deep lying playmaker at present, and one that is able to play in a double pivot with someone like the reportedly incoming Oriol Romeu from Girona.

In Xavi's preferred four man midfield system, De Jong is likely to be the sole pivot himself providing support to Pedri and Ilkay Gundogan while Gavi acts as a false left winger.

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Though Barca tried to sell De Jong to pay for the more attacking Bernardo Silva in 2022, this was when Busquets was still around and the Blaugrana could make do with seeing off the Netherlands international.

A lot has changed 12 months later, and Barca won't be able to find a like-for-like replacement for De Jong while perhaps plotting long-term to have someone like Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi partner him in the future.