Could Frenkie de Jong actually leave Barcelona?
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 16 Nov 2021 19:10 GMT
- 4 min read
Barcelona have been through turmoil in recent months.
The new La Liga rules plunged them into greater financial worry than they were previously, the likes of Konrad de la Fuente and others were forced to leave, Lionel Messi had to be let go due to their wage bill, while results on the pitch saw Ronald Koeman sacked.
Club legend Xavi has been appointed as Koeman's replacement, but even before he's taken charge, things have changed.
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Dani Alves has been brought back as a senior player, although he won't be able to play until January, and reports have started emerging that suggest Frenkie de Jong might be sold.
The Blaugrana signed the Dutch central midfielder from Ajax in 2019, after a breakout year in the Eredivisie and Champions League, but he could already be on his way out.
That's according to El Chiringuito who have reported that Barcelona are willing to sell their midfielder.
Jose Alvarez has revealed that "Frenkie de Jong is for sale," which would come as a fairly big surprise given the age profile of Sergio Busquets.
De Jong was signed to ease the load on Busquets, and while that hasn't exactly happened yet, the Spaniard is now two years older than when the Dutchman joined and nearing the end of his career, so if De Jong leaves, there'll be a gaping hole in the middle of the park.
Despite their quality, neither Pedri nor Gavi could fill that role, so it does seem unlikely that De Jong is sold.
However, he is one of Barcelona's more valuable assets, and almost every elite club in Europe would be interested in he's on the market and the Blaugrana are listening to offers.
As one of the best progressive players in Europe, he ranks in the 98th percentile for progressive carries, De Jong would be a huge loss for Barcelona if they do end up shipping him off.
Is a De Jong exit likely?
The Dutchman's contract doesn't expire until 2026, so it would take a mega offer to get him out of Barcelona, and with cheaper alternatives likely to be on the market, think Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni, De Jong will be in high demand, but concrete interest may not appear.
Furthermore, under Xavi, himself a technical midfielder, De Jong would be learn from the very best, and Xavi would no doubt love to build his team around the Dutchman.
In that case, it doesn't seem feasible to suggest De Jong will leave, but with Barcelona's well-documented monetary issues, they simply might need to sell.
The fact they had to pay out the rest of Koeman's contract wouldn't have helped things, and De Jong could be collateral damage.
However, with Xavi at the helm, they may well bite the bullet and keep hold of one of Europe's most talented midfielders.
Which clubs would be interested?
If De Jong were to be sold, then you'd imagine there would be no shortage of suitors.
Chelsea and Manchester United have made no secret of their need for a defensive midfielder, while Manchester City would no doubt be in the mix for such a complete player, especially as rumours recently linked them with a swap deal between De Jong and Raheem Sterling.
That could work in Barcelona's favour, who have been long-time admirers of Sterling.
Either way, a Barcelona exit seems unlikely, but if De Jong is forced to be sold, then it won't be hard for him to find a new home.
