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Frenkie de Jong splits Barcelona after Xavi’s message

Due to new concerns regarding Frenkie de Jong's position at Camp Nou, Barcelona are undecided on whether to pursue a deal to sign Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves as a replacement for Sergio Busquets
Harry Siuu
By: Harry Siuu

With Frenkie de Jong's position at the club once again being questioned, it is said that Barcelona is divided about how to replace Sergio Busquets in their lineup for the upcoming season. As the club president has a close relationship with Ruben Neves' agent Jorge Mendes, reports claim that Joan Laporta of Barcelona is pressing the club to sign the midfielder for Wolves and Portugal international Ruben Neves. Although there is a conviction that De Jong can fill the shoes of Busquets in the midfield, Barca's sporting directorate disagrees with this viewpoint.

Despite being the highest-paid player at Barca and only starting half of their games in all competitions this year, De Jong has no plans to leave the club. The Dutch midfield maestro was initially set to be signed by Manchester United and Barcelona for a transfer fee of £56.2 million last summer, but the player turned down the offer. De Jong is prepared to reject Barcelona's most recent attempt to persuade the midfielder to lower his wage. De Jong has grown increasingly at differences with the club's board, including slamming them for disclosing his contract terms this summer.

As Sport reported last month, the club has reached out to the former Ajax star once more to ask him to lower his pay, but the effort is not expected to be effective. For the upcoming season, Barcelona must lower its current pay expenditures of €600 million to €400 million in order to add new players and renew existing contracts. When his contract with Barcelona expires at the end of the current campaign, Busquets is expected to leave the team. Inter Miami is thought to have an agreement in place to sign the seasoned midfielder. According to a Marca story, there is internal conflict at Barca over whether to replace Busquets with Neves or whether De Jong can play the holding midfield position.

Dejong was linked to Man United last summmer

Memphis [Depay] or any other player from the Camp Nou first team should not depart in January, according to Barca manager Xavi, who made this statement to the press earlier this week. It should be a peaceful time for us, in my opinion. The manager of United, Erik ten Hag, who coached De Jong at Ajax and still keeps in touch with him, has continued to hype up the potential of the team adding players in the upcoming transfer window: "I think we always have to do better in the organization of the club." Therefore, we will continuously seek out better options, and when appropriate, we will seize them.

Midfielder Frenkie de Jong is not for sale

The Catalan leader disregarded a transfer for the 25-year-old despite financial difficulties at his club, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Laporta declared, "Frenkie de Jong is not for sale. Both last summer and this year, he wasn't up for sale. We all agree that De Jong is a highly attractive football player, but I insisted he was not for sale.”

The Netherlands international remained at Camp Nou despite being strongly linked with a summer transfer to Manchester United. De Jong, according to Laporta, will be an essential component of Xavi's team moving forward. With 18 appearances for the Spanish powerhouses this season, the 25-year-old has contributed two goals and one assist from a deep-lying midfield position.

De Jong played nearly all of the time for Louis van Gaal's team during the World Cup with Holland, including the full 120 minutes against Argentina in the quarterfinals. The midfielder, who spent £65 million to join Barcelona in 2019, has had a rollercoaster La Liga career. De Jong made it plain that he wanted to stay, despite claims that the Catalan powerhouse intended to sell him last year when the club's finances were a major concern. As a result of Laporta's abrupt change of heart, it is less likely than ever before that the Dutchman will depart Barcelona soon.

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Harry Siuu
Written by: Harry Siuu
a specialized football specialist with over ten years' experience as a football journalist who works for Betimate.com.

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