Barcelona paid €75 million to bring De Jong to the Camp Nou from Ajax in the summer of 2019, bringing to an end his spectacular three-year spell at Johan Cruyff Arena.
De Jong has failed to maximise his time on the pitch for Barca
Frenkie de Jong has expressed that he was an “ordinary player” in his debut year at Barca while outlining his ambition to reach new levels in 2021-22. Barcelona paid €75 million to bring De Jong to the Camp Nou from Ajax in the summer of 2019, bringing to an end his spectacular three-year spell at Johan Cruyff Arena. However, the Dutchman failed to live up to expectations in his first season with the Blaugrana, as he could not win the trophy for the first time in 12 years. De Jong admits he failed to maximise his time on the field for Barcelona, whose unlucky campaign was compounded by an 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
The Dutch was just an ordinary player at the Blaugrana
The 24-year-old player, who is currently away with the Netherlands for Euro 2020, told reporters: “My first year at Barca was fine, I played many minutes, but in my opinion, I was just an ordinary player. I could do better and played better in many games, although I still think I can take steps forward and continue to grow. I hope we still see a better Frenkie De Jong.” He continued to hold down a regular spot in Barca’s starting XI after Ronald Koeman was drafted to replace Quique Setien last summer. The talented midfielder helped Barcelona fight for La Liga and earned his first piece of silverware in the Copa del Rey, netting seven goals and eight assists in 51 appearances in all competitions.
Barca president Joan Laporta recently confirmed that Koeman would remain Barça’s head coach for at least one more year, leaving De Jong delighted. “I don’t even need to say how happy I am that Koeman is staying,” he said of his compatriot. The Dutch international has been placed in several different positions during his tenure at Barca, including in the defence. The former Ajax star prefers to play in a more natural central midfield role but says he will always give his all, no matter where the manager decides to put him on the field. “I don’t mind where the manager puts me,” added De Jong. “I prefer midfield, but if I have to play at the back, I do. It’s all a matter of trust at the end of the day.”
“I notice that confidence from my coaches, my teammates, the media. It’s a good feeling, so I don’t mind where I play, where the team needs me.”