After 4 seasons with Barca, Frenkie De Jong has proven his worth and shown himself to be the top central midfielder in the world today.

In mid-August, Frenkie de Jong gave an interview to the Catalan newspaper El Periodico. During the lengthy chat, he admitted that he was close to leaving Barcelona after a summer of transfer speculation in 2022. He admitted that he was aware of the criticism he regularly received during his early years at club. But more importantly, he has clearly stated that he does not want to play football anywhere else.

De Jong certainly said these things because he wanted a new contract – something Barca is said to be willing to provide. But his statements also had sincerity.

De Jong’s four years at Camp Nou did not go according to plan. He cost Barca 75 million euros (£65m/$85m) and from day one was an imperfect choice.

Initially, he was asked to take on a role for which he was not suited. After that, he did not play well in the position that seemed most suitable for him. He was almost sold to Manchester United at least once. But now, thanks to some changes in tactics and atypical patience on the part of the management, De Jong has become successful.

The former Ajax central midfielder has always possessed a unique skill set, one that for a long time needed a coach to build a system that could maximize it. Xavi did just that, making De Jong an indispensable part of the Barca team, a player who filled a special position for a winning team, certainly worth every penny that Barca paid for the service. his case in 2019.