Frenkie De Jong Makes Decision On FC Barcelona Future Amid Continued Manchester United Interest

FC Barcelona’s star midfielder Frenkie De Jong has reportedly made a decision on his future at the club amid continued interest from PremierPINC
League giants Manchester United.

The Red Devils famously came close to landing the Dutchman in the 2022 summer transfer window. In mid-July, they allegedly had an €80 million ($85 million) offer for him accepted by the cash-strapped Catalans but De Jong decided to remain put.

His key motivations for this were believed to be a desire to succeed under Barca head coach Xavi Hernandez and United’s lack of Champions League football.

Barca had qualification to Europe’s premier club competition secured at the time yet were then eliminated to the inferior Europa League after failing to get out of the group for the second year running.

There they met United. And while a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first leg played out at Camp Nou, the Mancunians sent the Blaugrana packing with a 2-1 comeback victory in the second leg at Old Trafford.

In the days following Barca’s fourth European exit in a year, reports from talkSPORT claimed that De Jong was considering a switch to United due to a desire to play alongside their Brazilian stalwart Casemiro.

On Monday, however, with the dust settling on a humiliating 7-0 defeat for United against bitter rivals Liverpool, plus a 1-0 win for Barca over Valencia that put them an eventual nine points clear in La Liga, SPORT claims that De Jong has made a decision on his future.

The Catalan daily newspaper says that De Jong and his entourage “are very clear” about De Jong not leaving in the summer and transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano has also said that the 26-year-old’s mind hasn’t changed on continuing at Camp Nou either.

De Jong apparently knows “nothing” about renewed interest from United with nothing on the matter forthcoming to them as of yet despite claims to the contrary in the British media.

While this wasn’t always perceived to be the case, De Jong isn’t receiving any pressure to leave Barca and is now clear that the club do not want to offloading him despite the fact there will likely be big player sales in the summer.

De Jong was considered Barca’s most sellable asset last summer, but has since become “untouchable” in Xavi’s plans.

With a first La Liga title since he joined in 2019 for a €75 million ($80 million) fee from Ajax almost a gimme with Barca nine points clear over Real Madrid at the summit, De Jong is now focused on returning the club to greatness in the Champions League on the command of the legendary former number ‘6’.

Between the reports from the English press and its Catalan counterpart, today’s news seems most accurate.

De Jong has kept his head down and worked hard to prove his worth as an undisputed starter under Xavi. Furthermore, he is more than settled living in Barcelona with his long-term partner, and has close friends at the club including Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Sergi Roberto.