Barcelona’s President, Joan Laporta, has clarified the reason behind the club’s decision to reject a substantial €100 million offer for Frenkie de Jong. De Jong, a highly sought-after midfielder, has been linked to Manchester United, and Bayern Munich also expressed interest in the Dutch international.
De Jong, who arrived at Barcelona from Ajax in 2019, has been a subject of transfer speculation for a while. Aware of Barcelona’s financial struggles, Bayern Munich approached the club during the summer to explore the possibility of signing the 26-year-old.
Currently in his fifth season at Barcelona, De Jong has been a key player for the team. President Laporta addressed the club’s general assembly and revealed that they turned down the lucrative transfer offer because of De Jong’s exceptional talent and contributions to the squad.
Laporta explained, “If we don’t do our homework economically, we won’t get better athletically. We had the chance to sell Frenkie de Jong for €100 million, but we decided against it to maintain our competitiveness.”
This decision underscores the club’s commitment to retaining valuable assets like De Jong, even in the face of financial challenges. It’s a testament to the player’s worth and significance to Barcelona’s future.
Earlier this year, during the peak of Manchester United’s interest, De Jong hinted at a “situation” involving Laporta. However, he clarified that there are no issues between them, indicating that he’s content at the club.
Despite rumors of Barcelona’s attempts to offload De Jong to alleviate salary constraints, the player has not openly expressed a desire to leave the club. In 2022, Manchester United and Barcelona had reportedly agreed to a deal worth €85 million. Yet, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and De Jong’s willingness to take a pay cut, combined with deferred payments, posed challenges to the potential transfer.
De Jong’s recent absence from the Barcelona lineup has been due to injury. He last played in the 3-2 victory over Celta Vigo in September. His absence is a notable setback for the team, which is also missing key players like Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, and Sergi Roberto in their upcoming match against Athletic Club.
Additionally, Laporta recently made headlines by suggesting that the accusations Barcelona faced in the Negreira case, a legal matter, were partially a result of actions by their rival, Real Madrid.
Barcelona’s decision to reject a substantial offer for Frenkie de Jong highlights the club’s commitment to retaining valuable talent and maintaining competitiveness, despite financial challenges.
De Jong’s role in the squad’s future is highly regarded, and Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, expressed their willingness to keep him at the club. Despite various transfer rumors, De Jong remains content at Barcelona and has not openly expressed a desire to leave.
His recent absence from the lineup is due to injury, adding to the team’s challenges in the upcoming match. Finally, Laporta’s remarks about external influences in legal matters contribute to the complex dynamics of football’s off-field issues.
