FC Barcelona are in Italy, preparing to face Serie A winners Napoli at the Stadio Diego Maradona later tonight, Wednesday, in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 match. The goal is to advance to the next round of the competition amid a turbulent domestic campaign.
Ahead of the Blagurana’s crucial midweek continental away fixture, their star midfielder Frenkie de Jong addressed ongoing speculation about his future at the club during the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. He criticized a renowned Spanish media outlet for fueling the rumors.
Frenkie de Jong lashes out at media outlets
Frenkie de Jong, the Dutch international, has been recently linked with a move to the Premier League, attracting significant interest from top English clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea. Recent reports from Spain suggest that the midfielder is unhappy at Barcelona and is open to leaving the club this summer.
Despite receiving transfer proposals from Premier League clubs, Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, and sporting director, Deco, have insisted that Frenkie de Jong is not for sale. Reports have suggested that the club was considering selling the former Ajax player to improve their financial situation in light of Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions.
When questioned about the rumors, the player expressed his frustration with the media, stating, “Honestly, I am getting quite irritated lately. I am very angry at what you (the media) write about me. There are a lot of stories that are simply not true. I simply can’t get my head around it. Some of you write lies all the time, and I don’t understand how you are not ashamed of it.”
“There’s a lot of talk about my contract situation and my salary. There’s a lot of smoke in there and plenty of lies. You the media are saying that I earn around €40m per year… this is far from the truth. I am not going to reveal figures, but that’s simply lying.” he said further.
Frenkie de Jong talks on Barcelona future
Frenkie de Jong dismissed claims of his departure after finding himself at the center of months of exit reports. However, the 26-year-old cleared the air in his recent response at the press conference. He insisted that he is happy with the Spanish champions and wants to commit to the Catalans for years ahead.
The midfielder expressed his contentment at Barcelona, referring to it as ‘the club of my dreams.’ He said, “I am very happy at Barca. I hope to continue playing for Barca for many years. I consider the club, my teammates, and the staff as part of my joy here, and I am enjoying it a lot.”
Under contract with Barca until 2026, De Jong is a key member of the club, a fact underscored by coach Xavi. He showed his support for the player’s critique of the media, expressing his desire for De Jong to remain with the team for many more years.
