Barcelona wrapped up a very strong season that included a La Liga title and came close to reaching 100 points. One player who missed part of that run because of injury was Frenkie de Jong, who has been linked with a move away from the club for several years. However, he dismissed those rumors in an interview with Sport.
De Jong was asked about reports of a possible exit in the summer of 2023: “What happened that summer was that, even though I said no, some clubs went to Barcelona and offered money for me. And inside the club, not everyone, but some people, thought those were good offers and wanted to sell me. But I’ve always said it: I only want to be at Barcelona.”
The Dutch midfielder also spoke about his relationship with Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco: “My relationship with Deco and Laporta is very good. I have a great relationship with both of them. Barcelona was going through a difficult financial situation and there are always clubs that contact players to ask if they want to leave or not. And I always said no.”
De Jong on Robert Lewandowski’s departure
This summer is expected to mark an important moment for Barcelona, with Robert Lewandowski confirming his departure from the club. The Polish striker was a key figure during a period when the team was not at its best.
Lewandowski leaves the club this summer (Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
For De Jong, his exit means losing a leader, and he also explained that he could not be at the stadium for Lewandowski’s final matches because he was ill and did not want to put anyone at risk.
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De Jong said: “I think he has been very important over these four years, especially for the young players coming into the first team. Having the example of someone like Robert, who has won everything, and seeing how he trains and takes care of himself, has been very important for us.”
De Jong on his injury
Barcelona were also without an important piece for much of the year after De Jong suffered an injury. That kept him out of the lineup for a while, with his first start only coming in February because of the issue.
De Jong said: “I was coming back from a long injury and played ten minutes against Espanyol. Then the Champions League second leg against Atlético came around. I did everything possible to return as soon as I could. But in the end, I couldn’t shorten the recovery time the doctors gave me. It was six weeks, and in the end, it was six weeks.”
