Prior to Xavi Hernandez arriving at Barcelona it was hoped the managerial change would see Frenkie de Jong return to his best form and have a consistent run of strong influence for the Catalan club.
As far as the Catalan media see it, that hasn’t been the case and there are again transfer rumours around the Dutchman.
Sport report Liverpool and Bayern Munich are ‘crazy to sign him’, and it’s then explained that everything will depend on what the player himself wants.
According to the report, there’s concern at Barcelona around the player right now. It’s explained De Jong’s performances have dropped in level and he doesn’t appear to be completely happy.
Xavi ‘trusts him blindly’, yet it’s made clear there are ‘important offers on the table’. There’s no indication if that relates to Liverpool or Bayern, and whether the offers are simply expressions of interest.
Given Barcelona’s financial situation, they need to consider big sales if they want big amounts to invest, and De Jong is one of the few players with interest and a reasonable market value.
Any potential exit is much likelier in the summer than winter, and how De Jong does between now and the end of the season, and whether he’s happy or not, will be key.
One for Liverpool fans to keep an eye on, and for the inevitable claims that Thiago Alcantara could be part of any deal.
