Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the future of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong amid rumours of a potential Camp Nou exit.
The Dutch international has found himself behind young prodigies Pedri and Gavi in the Blaugrana pecking order, and strong summer transfer links have not gone away.
The 25-year-old refused to comment when asked about the rumours ahead of his country’s World Cup match against Qatar, but Romano has shared some news about what to expect in January.
He tweeted: “De Jong has never changed his stance: no intention to leave Barcelona, as things stand.”
TIF Thoughts on De Jong…
Although he has been inconsistent since his €75m (£65m) move from Ajax in 2019, the Dutchman remains a solid option at Barcelona and could be the long-term solution to replace the ageing Sergio Busquets.
De Jong ranks in the top 15% of European midfielders for dribbles, shot-creating actions and pass completion, and if given a solid run of games, we believe he can display the quality he showed at Ajax as he helped them reach the Champions League semi-finals.
However, depending on the size of any offer they receive from potential suitors Manchester United, Barcelona may be tempted to cash in on a player who is not a guaranteed starter given the financial situation at the club that saw them heavily spend in the summer, before crashing out of the Champions League in the group stages.
Nevertheless, given that the player is reluctant to leave, they will be better served in trying to get him playing at his best level again.