Frenkie de Jong has questioned his Barcelona future if the club don’t compete at the highest level (Image: Getty)
Frenkie de Jong revealed the circumstances that’ll make him consider departing – just two years after admitting the Spanish giants wanted to sell him to . The Dutch international signed for the Blaugrana for £62million (€75m) in 2019 from Ajax but has yet to recreate the consistent form he showed in Amsterdam.
While he’s been a regular starter for Barcelona, the lack of silverware he’s won since his arrival has made him think twice over pledging the rest of his career to the financially-strapped club. With just a La Liga title, Copa Del Rey trophy and Spanish Super Cup to his name after almost six years has not been enough to wet his appetite for major honours.
His admission comes over two years after he was ‘s top target upon his arrival at in the summer of 2022. Having coached the midfielder at Ajax, the ex-Red Devils boss was insistent on signing his former player with Barcelona ready to cash in on De Jong, according to the player himself.
Speaking to back in 2022 as to why a move to Manchester never came to fruition, De Jong revealed: ” already spoke with Barcelona [last summer] despite the fact that I wanted to stay here. The club was in a difficult situation. They were able to sell me for a big fee, and they wanted to do this, but I did not want to leave so I stayed.
“If everything goes well for me and for the club, then I want to stay here for as long as possible. I have won the league here so now there is just one thing left for me to win this season, and that’s the Nations League [with the Netherlands]. It’s not the Euros or a World Cup, but I think it would be a nice sign if we manage to win it.”
Now in his sixth season at Barcelona, he’s started just one La Liga game after missing the first two months of the season with injury. When speaking to , De Jong admitted he may seek pastures new for two main reasons.
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The Dutch international has started just one La Liga game this season (Image: Getty)
“People think I want to stay at Barcelona forever because life outside of football is so good here, and that’s good, but what happens on the pitch is always more important. If I felt like I couldn’t contribute enough, or if the team wasn’t competitive, I would leave.”
The Dutchman admitted his disappointment with his lack of trophies as he explained: “When I signed for Barcelona, I didn’t imagine to win only a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup after 4 years. I expected at least double, so that disappoints me. Things happen on the road you can’t predict.”