Frenkie de Jong has expressed regret that Barcelona were unable to arrange a deal that would have brought him and Lionel Messi back together, claiming “it’s a shame”.
When it became clear that he wouldn’t be renewing his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, the freshly crowned La Liga champions were heavily linked with the prodigal son.
However, no agreement was achieved after discussions between Messi’s agents and the Barca board.
As a result, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will be saying goodbye to European football and joining MLS team Inter Miami.
Reflecting on Barca’s inability to bring Messi back to Catalunya, Dutch midfielder De Jong – who spent two years working alongside the Argentine between 2019 and 2021 – told De Telegraaf: “I think every team would like to have Lionel there, because he makes a difference anytime, anywhere.
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“It’s a shame he didn’t come to Barcelona. I would have liked him there, would have found his return top-notch.
“We’ll now see who joins and who leaves.”
Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong is among those who have sparked a lot of rumors in recent transfer windows as he was strongly linked with Manchester United.
However, he plans to remain at Barcelona. “I feel good at Barcelona. If all goes well I will stay there.
“You can’t say anything 100% but I guess next season I will play for Barcelona.”
Financial struggles have made it difficult for Barca to put deals in place for marquee additions.
Sales are expected to be sanctioned this summer in an effort to raise funds.
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