Frenkie de Jong refuses to commit his future to Ajax amid Barcelona rumours
Frenkie de Jong didn’t rule out a future move away from Ajax.
According to AT5, he wouldn’t be against a future move if it was the right club. However, he refused to comment on Barcelona’s interest when he was specifically asked about that.
This is likely to come across as a huge warning sign for the Dutch giants because this isn’t a reassuring answer, although they probably expected him to leave in the near future.
The 21-year-old is one of the top young prospects in Europe due to his technical ability and tactical awareness. He was used as a ‘false centre-back’ at times this season in order to take advantage of Ajax’s dominance of possession in matches. They switched from a 4-3-3 defensive shape to a 3-4-3 in possession with multiple players adjusting such as the full-backs tucking in and De Jong moving into midfield.
His role allowed him to play a heavy role in build-up play through a variety of means. De Jong either dribbled through the lines, made a forward pass through the lines or invited pressure before making an easy sidewards pass so a teammate could take advantage of the opening. Therefore, his ability to solve in-game problems is largely unmatched for a player of his age.
The ability to read the game from deep positions means that he would be a good long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets in the defensive midfield position. Busquets is an integral part of Barcelona’s system due to his ability to navigate through any in-game scenario such as a high press from the opposition. Without his link to the midfield, Barcelona would struggle to assert control over games.
Next: Barcelona choose their main transfer target
What should Barcelona’s course of action be?
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Barcelona should act on this if they aren’t already because their playing style mirrors Ajax’s, so he would be a good fit. Their reputation as a top club in Europe also means that they should have the draw to take him away from the club. His price isn’t affected by the World Cup, either, due to Netherlands’ failure to reach a second consecutive international tournament.
Bringing de Jong in now would allow him to learn from the senior players on the training pitch, specifically Busquets. However, it wouldn’t be a bad decision to let him stay on loan with the club for another season. There isn’t a desperate need, but they should take advantage of his low price and long-term planning is always a good move. Failure to properly plan for the departure of key players has cost them previously, so signing him would be a promising indicator for the future.