Frenkie de Jong: “I don’t need to go to the Premier League to prove my level”.
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The Dutch midfielder is not thinking about a future away from Barça after renewing his contract until 2029.
Frenkie de Jong is experiencing one of his best personal moments since arriving in Barcelona in 2019. From the Dutch national team camp during the final qualifying window for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the midfielder spoke to ESPN about his personal situation, his contract renewal, and his future after extending his commitment to the Catalan club.
The Dutchman explained that signing a contract with Barça, until June 2029, came after a long period of reflection marked by his physical and footballing recovery during Hansi Flick's first year as manager: "I injured my ankle at the beginning of last year (2024) and I wanted to see how I could recover first," he confessed.
https://www.fcbarcelona.es/es/noticias/4138021/frenkie-de-jong-vuelve-162-dias-despues
“From a strategic point of view, it’s not smart to extend your contract when you’re in decline. It’s better to do it when you’re playing well. But the intention to stay was always there. When I signed my first contract with Barcelona, I hoped to play there for ten or twelve years. And it seems that might come to pass,” he noted.
De Jong, who has already made 270 official appearances for the Blaugrana, affirmed that he feels completely integrated into the city and the sporting project: “I’ve been at this club for a while now. I feel very comfortable and valued in Barcelona. As a family, we are extremely happy with our life here. Barça’s future also looks bright, looking at the current team and the youth academy. Extending my contract made perfect sense. I’m happy here.”
With his future secured in Barcelona, the Dutchman has no intention of leaving the Catalan club in the short term, even though the giants of English football would be delighted to have him on their team. It's a challenge that, for the moment, doesn't appeal to the Barça number 21: “Do I need to go to the Premier League to prove my level? I don't think so. There have been offers, but I'm happy at Barça. The Premier League is the best league in the world right now, without a doubt, just as La Liga was about ten years ago. But that doesn't mean you have to play there to prove you're a great player.”
The player also recalled a curious anecdote about how Barça is perceived from the UK: “When Cucurella was at Brighton, he told me that many English players said their dream was to end up at clubs like Barcelona or Real Madrid. For me, that was already my dream since I was a child.”
Frenkie also allowed himself a comparison with Ronald Koeman, his current coach with the Netherlands, whom he surpassed in official matches with the Catalan club: “Surpass Koeman in matches with Barça? He still has one more Champions League than me, so I'll have to catch up to him (laughs).”
When asked about Kees Muth, the young Dutch prospect whom Koeman himself has compared to Pedri, Frenkie preferred to be cautious: “Yes, I’ve seen him play. He has a lot of talent. But I don’t think it’s wise to say too much about him yet. It doesn’t help that so many expectations are being raised so early. He’s a very talented player and can become very good, but we should leave him alone.” And he concluded with a piece of advice steeped in experience: “We have to let him play football and we’ll see how he develops.”
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