What Manoli post? I can't find it. In any case, there were no meaningful negotiations going on until Trump applied tariffs. That's why Juncker came to the US yesterday and met with our trade negotiators.
Great, you also fell for Juncker's smokescreen.
In reality, the USA started a Tradewar with China. China responded with targeted countermeasures (aiming at products that are produced by Trump electorate). As a result, amongst others, Soybeans are now purchased by the Chinese in South America and the market price of North American Soybeans has dropped.
So using that knowledge as a crowbar to prevent further Tarifs on European produced goods (and countermeasures which ultimately only will cost everybody more), Junker saw an opportunity to get cheaper soybeans, avert further Tarif increases, and make progress on another longtime wish, reduce the dependence on Russian NLG and buy some USA produced gas to increase the chance that Trump would bite. Hook, line, and sinker, as far as any deal with Trump means anything (ask the Iranians and the South Koreans).
Cheers,
Bart