FC Barcelona did everything they could to sell Frenkie de Jong last summer, but the Catalans have retraced their steps. “That time has passed”, said sporting director Jordi Cruijff.
Barcelona were desperately looking for more money earlier this year, as the club was in dire financial straits and threatened to be banned from registering new signings for the Spanish league. The tens of millions that the transfer from De Jong to, for example, Manchester United would yield, the club had to save. However, the Dutch midfielder did not want to and Barcelona eventually found a solution to the financial problems by selling all kinds of future television rights.
“In football, some things are not determined by football issues”, Cruijff explains last summer’s situation. “It had to do with the fair play rules. Those days are behind us now. Frenkie is still with us and an important role, he is a beloved player and people expect a lot from him because he is very talented.
De Jong spoke extensively with AD Sportwereld last month and also discussed the situation of last summer in more detail. At one point, the play around the blond midfielder became so dirty that his full contract was leaked to the Catalan press in a frantic attempt to push the Dutchman to the exit. ,,Yes, then I thought for a moment: that is not necessary, is it?”, De Jong said dryly. “Of course I blame those people, I blame them very much.”
On Friday evening, De Jong and the Orange will face Argentina in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The midfielder has a yellow card to his name and with the next print he will have to miss a possible semi-final.
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