De Jong Shows Why FC Barcelona Would Be Foolish To Sell Him In Impressive Gamper Trophy Cameo

During an impressive second half cameo in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Pumas UNAM on Sunday evening, Frenkie de Jong showed why FC Barcelona would be foolish to offload him in the current transfer window.

In a chain of events that are entirely not of his own doing, the Dutchman has had his name attached to one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer which began to get underway before last season had reached its conclusion.

Manchester United and Barca were said to have agreed an €85mn ($86.4mn) deal for the 25-year-old some time ago, but he flatly turned them down due to their lack of Champions League football.

Chelsea entered the race for his capture last week, and can offer him not just the opportunity to play in the UCL, but also a realistic chance of winning the PremierPINC
League while breaking Manchester City and Liverpool’s duopoly in the English top flight.

Adamant on staying put in Catalonia, though, De Jong has continued to carry himself as a model professional amid claims that Barca need to offload him to register new players and free up space on the wage bill.

On the Catalans’ recent tour of the US, he filled in at center back without complaints despite harmful reports that Barca had ordered him to leave the club and had even threatened to take him off the plane over the Atlantic.

Last night, however, in a 6-0 thrashing of Mexican opposition, first team coach Xavi Hernandez gave De Jong a run out in his usual midfield position in front of pivot captain Sergio Busquets.

And in a performance that was well-received by the masses at Camp Nou and on social media, De Jong showed why Barca would be foolish to sell him even if their motives for doing so are more financially-motivated than anything else.

Rewarded with scoring Barca’s sixth and final goal for his efforts, De Jong exhibited his full repertoire and showed that there are few like him in world football when it comes to exploiting spaces.

Making powerful runs from deep, dangerous diagonal passes and cheeky inside back heels, the former Ajax man played with a chip on his shoulder and like someone out to prove a point.

“I don’t know what will happen to Frenkie de Jong,” admitted Xavi post-match.

“Until August 31, anything can happen. He knows what I think and what the club wants and needs. Of course I’m counting on him, he’s a great player,” the coach added.

Amid whispers at the weekend that Barca feel they can sign Bernardo Silva and keep De Jong, it seems that the youngster should seriously consider reducing his salary to stay onboard in Blaugrana.