Frenkie de Jong’s future at Barcelona was one of the most followed stories of the summer.
Manchester United chased the midfielder heavily throughout the window but failed to convince the Dutch star to move to Old Trafford after the Premier League club agreed to pay Barcelona a guaranteed fee of €75m plus another €10m in add-ons for the 25-year-old, reported The Athletic.
Chelsea were another club interested in De Jong, according to The Athletic, but the London club never cemented their interest with an official bid for the Dutch midfielder.
Following that summer interest, De Jong has now been speaking about the events that unfolded over the summer. The Barcelona star told NOS via Fabrizio Romano:
“Chelsea and Man United interest? I already decided in May that I wanted to stay at Barcelona.
“I never changed this decision during the summer,” De Jong stated.
Frenkie de Jong confirms to @NOS: “Chelsea and Man United interest? I already decided in May that I wanted to stay at Barcelona”. ??? #FCB
“I never changed this decision during the summer”, Frenkie added. pic.twitter.com/WoxthKiKWU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 21, 2022
De Jong confirmed what many felt and reported over the summer, that the star simply did to want to leave the Camp Nou. The 25-year-old has a contract at Barcelona until 2026 and is expected to stay in Spain for many more years.
The Dutch star has not been a consistent starter under Xavi this season but did play back-to-back games in La Liga for the first time this campaign recently as he looks to cement his place in the Barca first 11.