Clubs Have Inquired About Frenkie de Jong
It’s been reported Frenkie de Jong is considering leaving FC Barcelona in the next transfer window and some of Europe’s biggest clubs have already begun jockeying for position in an attempt to secure his services. Clubs such as FC Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are all rumoured to be interested.
According to the Spanish outlets Radio Barcelona and Mundo Deportivo, these three clubs are closely monitoring the Dutch midfielder, who seems to be uncomfortable with his situation at the Camp Nou.
During the loss against Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou last Sunday, De Jong looked extremely frustrated after being subbed off at the 60th minute of the match. Radio Barcelona reported the Dutchman’s irritation lasted longer than the staff expected and it is said the international would be willing to take a longer look at his current situation at Barça.
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, even though De Jong’s desire is to stay at the Spanish club, he would consider a transfer to another club if Barça decides that the best option is to sell the young midfielder, whose contract expires in 2026. It is also said that the club’s financial struggles could necessitate a sale of De Jong, which could free up money for future player acquisitions.
De Jong landed in Barcelona in the summer of 2019 after an outstanding season for Ajax. Since his arrival, the 24 year old hasn’t lived up to expectations and he alternates between good and bad moments for the Culés. In almost three years in Catalunya, De Jong has played 136 matches, scored 13 goals, provided 17 assists and won the Copa Del Rey title in 2021.
When asked about De Jong’s situation, Jordi Cruyff, Barcelona’s sporting advisor, said the club has not considered selling the midfielder this summer as they want to keep the player on the squad.
“He is a valued player in the club and in the European market,” Cruyff said. “We are far from thinking about that option. We should not always specify the defeats in one or two players.”
Similar to Cruyff, Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona’s coach, praises De Jong every time he is asked about the midfielder and says the Dutchman can be one of the best midfielders in the world in the near future.
However, since Xavi’s arrival on the coaching staff, the midfielder has remarkably lost minutes playing for Barça. He has started 26 of the 33 games played in La Liga during the 2021-22 season, but has been substituted on 12 occasions, 10 of them with Xavi Hernández as coach. It’s rumoured that this might be one of the reasons why de Jong is considering leaving Catalunya this summer.
-Matheus Teles