Barcelona president Joan Laporta fighting to keep Frenkie de Jong despite Man United interest
- Seb Sternik
- 30 July 2022
The future of Frankie de Jong continues to face uncertainty after Barcelona's president admitted he would like to keep the player, but didn’t rule out a potential move to the Premier League.
De Jong has been on Manchester United's radar throughout the summer transfer window, though the Red Devils have so far struggled to strike a deal.
The player himself is also reluctant to move, and has already publicly stated his desire to remain in Spain.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently provided an update on De Jong's future, telling CBS Sports: "In football, you never know. I can't say categorically. It all depends on the different parties.
"But in principle, I can say there is a strong possibility he stays, and I can say as president I will do my best for him to stay at Barcelona.
"We want Frenkie to stay at Barcelona. We love the player and him as a human being. I want him to stay at Barcelona.
"He's a high-quality player and a good guy. I also know that he wants to stay."
The 25-year-old midfielder arrived at the Camp Nou in 2019 from Ajax, for a reported fee of £63million.
Interestingly, De Jong also had offers from PSG, Man City and Man United, but ultimately chose Barcelona.
In his three seasons at the club, the Dutch midfielder has racked up 140 appearances across all competitions.
Arguably his best outing for the Spanish giants came in the 2021 Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao, where De Jong produced two assists and scored one goal in a 4-0 victory.
The player has also amassed 44 international caps for the Netherlands.
