According to recent reports, Liverpool are preparing to rival Manchester City in their pursuit to sign FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong. With the player’s future in question, the rivals could go head-to-head for the player’s signature.
The former Ajax player is currently one of Barca’s top midfielders. Having won the Copa del Rey in 2020/21 with the club, the Dutchman both creates and defends. However, he is yet to show his full potential under a better manager.
His performances have drawn the attention of big clubs and have caught the eye of many. While Manchester City are the ones highly linked with the Dutchman, having made a £75m bid. While Liverpool on the other hand, have also developed an interest to sign Frenkie de Jong.
Frenkie unable to unlock potential at Barcelona
The 24-year-old midfielder joined Barcelona in 2019 from Dutch giants Ajax, for a fee of €75 million. The player had a great career with de Godenzonen and impressed a lot of the viewers. He flourished mainly under manager Erik Ten Hag, who took over in 2019. The player achieved success, and widespread recognition, during the 2018–19 season. He led Ajax to their first domestic double (league and cup) since the 2001–02 season.
However, since coming to Camp Nou, De Jong has undergone a lot of false criticism. Due to poor management over the seasons, the player has sometimes struggled to perform at his finest. Being a box-to-box defender, the Dutchman is mostly forced to play defensively, having scored just 9 goals and 14 assists in 106 appearances for the Catalans. (stats via TRANSFERMRKT)
The player has superb quality as a midfielder and has the potential to contribute more towards scoring goals. The Netherlands international likes to dribble the ball and plays it quickly to drive the play. His strongest asset is his passing which does not get used a lot at Barcelona. If his skills are used well, De Jong has the potential to become one of the best midfielders.
De Jong could flourish under Jurgen Klopp as a Gini Wijnaldum replacement
The Reds have faced a bitter disappointment after signing Thiago Alcantara as a Gini Wijnaldum replacement. Thiago seems to have failed to match the Premier League‘s intensity and hence the void left by Wijnaldum is yet to be filled.
The 31-year-old Netherlands international departed from Anfield in the summer’s of 2020 and joined the French side, Paris Saint-Germain. The Premier League and Champions League winner with Liverpool, Gini was one of their driving forces in the midfield, alongside skipper Jordan Henderson.
Being a box-to-box midfielder like his national senior, De Jong could replicate and increase the contributions made by Gini for the Merseyside club.
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