Frenkie de Jong talks Koeman, Barcelona dream, Ajax vs Tottenham, and Real Madrid

When the €75 million transfer went through in January of 2018, Frenkie de Jong was touted as the next big thing in Barcelona’s midfield. He was thought to take over the void left behind by Xavi and Andres Iniesta and eventually replace Sergio Busquets.

Into his third season wearing the garnet and blue now, the Dutchman has hit the most turbulent time of his career. He was among the best midfielders in Spain last season but has fallen off the pedestal since, with Pedri, Gavi, and Nico Gonzalez taking prominence.

As he so often loves, de Jong gave an interview to NOS Netherlands, speaking about his Barcelona dream, his starting spot, his teammates, among other things.

On being benched vs Athletic Club: “That does not mean I have failed. In three years, I have hardly ever been on the bench. Of course, you sit on the bench a few times a season, there are so many games.”

On being called a ‘veteran’ by Spanish newspapers: “That is not necessarily a bad thing, eh? Veterans also have a routine.”

“But seriously, I like football, so I read those news, too. I noticed that a lot of people are talking to each other. I sometimes have the feeling that they don’t really watch matches. Or they do watch it and then take over an opinion from the commentator or analysts.”

“If everyone imitates each other, there is an atmosphere that things are going very badly.”

On his form: “I don’t often fall through a bad period, but I have not touched my top form very often this season, either. If you just play ‘average’, it can be just fine, but for people it is often bad right away.”

On his best role and position: “I am at my best when I get the ball a lot, especially during the first build-up phase, but also just after that. There have been periods when I had to wait longer. When I was the only one who got the ball in the final phase. Then there were times when I did not get the ball at all. That is not where my strength lies.”

On if he misses Ajax and his role there: “Of course, I had a great time at Ajax, really great. I miss it in the sense of ‘it was a lovely time’, but it’s not that I would like to go back to Ajax. Definitely not.”

On Barcelona’s greatness: “I was surprised, but I still hold Barcelona in the same regard. It is not the best right now, but it is still the most beautiful club in the world.”

On his ‘smile’: “Is the smile still there? I have always wanted to play for Barcelona, it came true. Now it’s just about making sure that this dream will become as beautiful as possible.”

On his time at Barcelona: “It’s the same club, but many things have changed. I think I had four managers since my arrival, maybe three…or five. A new president came in, many players left. So yes, many things have changed.”

On which game he would like to repeat: “Ajax vs Tottenham Hotspur, Champions League semi-final.”

On a failed season for Barcelona: “Yes, it is a failed season. We are out of the Champions League, we are out of the Copa del Rey, and are 14 points behind Real Madrid.”

On Ronald Koeman’s sacking: “I found it sad that Koeman had to leave, of course. I have a great relationship with him, as a player but also personally. I am still in contact with him.”