It’s been hard to judge Frenkie de Jong since his arrival at Barcelona as a result of the chaotic teams in which he’s played. Yet it appears the club have made that judgement.
According to Gerard Romero, who broke the news on his Twitch show Jijantes FC, de Jong is on his way out of Barcelona and will be gone before the end of the league season. His destination is thought to be Manchester United.
Romero gave the transfer a 95% chance of happening and said that the fee wold likely be between €70 and €80m. Barcelona made the signing for €86m back in 2019, meaning this would be yet another player they would be taking a loss on.
However given the financial worries at the club, it’s a necessity – the decision to sell de Jong is a purely financial one in Romero’s words. The Dutchman is a highly saleable asset and by all accounts, yet to meet his potential.
It would reunite de Jong with his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, while Barcelona would still have Gavi, Pedri, Sergio Busquets and seemingly Frank Kessie to fill their midfield with.
Across the three seasons de Jong has been at the club, he has always been a starter under four different managers, racking up 138 appearances, 13 goals and 17 assists.
Even in light of the economic problems, this would be a far from ideal solution for Barcelona. Although it’s been in fleeting moments, de Jong has shown a wide array of abilities, performing several different roles in his time at Camp Nou. At 24, it’s likely his best years are also right in front of him.