The Dutch midfielder arrived in 2019 at Barcelona and immediately said it was his childhood dream. The Dutch heritage of the Catalan club permeated into the talented tulip and arriving at the club that Johan Cruyff formed had always been a goal for him.
From the moment he arrived, it was clear that he was the ideal player for the team. He immediately adapted to the city and the fans love him. There were moments of ups and downs because the club is going through a very difficult time, but he was one of those who always stood up for the club in difficult moments. That is why it is very complicated to understand that he is very close to leaving Catalunya.
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Romance is over
As mentioned. Frenkie loves Barcelona. In every interview, he takes the opportunity to say that he loves being in the city and that he fully identifies with the team. Following in the footsteps of the greatest Dutch player of all time, Johan Cruyff, has always appealed to him.
His first games showed his quality, the fans already saw him as the heir to Busquets and his vision on the pitch made the difference in many, many games. But the club was a mess that only Messi could hide at times.
In the 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich, he was among the most targeted players, and that pressure began to take its toll on the psychological side of the player. It didn't help that Ronald Koeman used him as a central defender and didn't fully exploit his potential.
That's when rumours of his departure began to be heard. The press in Spain said that he was not the same player we had admired at Ajax and that maybe it was time to sell him in order to recover some of the heavy investment that was made for him. Let's remember that 75 million was paid for the player.
The arrival of Xavi changed everything. The first thing the Catalan coach did was to talk to him. He told him that he considered him as an important part of his new project and that he wanted him committed because he was going to be an extension of him on the pitch.
Immediately Frenkie changed, he became the team marshall, and it showed. You could see him attacking and scoring goals or being the first outlet pass next to the centre-backs. They had De Jong back.
The results started to come and the rumours of his departure were cleared up. The Dutchman was the present and the future of the club. The end of the season was not ideal, but the objective was clear, and with a strengthened team better times were sure to come.
So why is he leaving?
Laporta started to plan the season together with Xavi, and they immediately realised that the club's financial situation was not good, that the payroll was at its maximum, even though the players had lowered their salaries.
In the list of reinforcements that were considered, none of them could be afforded. The president began to activate sponsorships and partnerships that would allow him to sign players and renew promising young players like Gavi who had an expiring contract and wanted him to stay.
When Laporta partnered with Spotify he brought in a large amount of money that allowed him to dream of reinforcements, and the sporting director Mateu Alemany is a great negotiator and can lower the price of the players that Xavi had in mind to bring them to Catalunya.
Among the options that were discussed was Bernardo Silva, the Portuguese midfielder of Manchester City, his value is 80 million euros, which is impossible for the club, but Alemany and Xavi spoke with the player, and his positive response, he was going to force to play for Barcelona.
This put Frenkie de Jong, who shares a position with the Portuguese, in a very difficult situation. Xavi prefers Silva because he offers more dynamism, and he sees himself reflected in the player. The sale of the Dutchman was immediately considered because it will mean freeing up space and generating money.
Manchester United was the first to ask because Erik Ten Hag knows de Jong perfectly and knows that he can help them rebuild the midfield of the Red Devils, who lost Pogba. He would also team him up with Donny van de Beek, which would replicate the successful Ajax midfield that won the Eredivisie and came within a whisker of the Champions League final.
According to media reports, when Frenkie was told that he might be sold, he flatly refused, as he was delighted at Barcelona and could not see himself anywhere else because it was his dream to play for the Blaugrana.
Negotiations stalled, and Laporta does not want to sell him because he likes the player, but he needs money. Xavi trusts him a lot, but he would prefer to have Bernardo Silva. The Dutchman started to feel displaced and a conversation with his coach at Ajax convinced him, and he said yes to being sold.
Now the problem is the price Barcelona set for him. 80 million for the talented midfielder. United refused to pay such a high figure, but negotiations continue.
The Spanish club needs to sell De Jong one way or another because they need to bring in money to bring in Lewandowski or Bernardo Silva. There is no money in the club and any cash inflow is vital for the future of the club.
The problem Barcelona now face is a different one. If they let De Jong go and Bernardo Silva does not arrive, they are in a very bad position as they have no one who can cover that role. The purchase of the Portuguese is very complicated because City is not going to let him go so easily and his price is very high.
The last offer reported by Fabrizio Romano is 65 million plus 15 million in variables, it seems that everything is already closed and De Jong will be at Old Trafford. Barcelona is letting go of a committed player who is perfect for the club, are they making a mistake? Without a doubt, Frenkie is the ideal player for Barcelona, but he arrived at the wrong time.
