Frenkie de Jong has admitted that leaving Barcelona crossed his mind during a period of intense transfer speculation, but the Dutch midfielder insists he never seriously considered departing the club where he has now become the most-capped Dutch player in history.
De Jong, 27, recently surpassed Phillip Cocu's record for appearances by a Dutch player at Barcelona, reaching 293 games. He joined the Catalan giants from Ajax in 2019 and has since won two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey and three Spanish Super Cups. A third league title could come this weekend if Barcelona beat Osasuna and Real Madrid lose to Espanyol.
Reflecting on the rumours that linked him with Manchester United and Chelsea in 2022, when Barcelona sought to raise funds, De Jong said: 'Of course, it's crossed your mind at times, like: OK, what should I do? But as long as I'm good enough to be a starter here, to make an impact and Barcelona is at the level I want to play at, then there's no reason for me to go.'
The midfielder also spoke about the impact of media speculation on his reputation, noting that inaccurate reports about his salary influenced how people perceived him. 'The press can really influence how people see you,' he said. 'Back then, it was all about my contract, with all sorts of figures about what I was supposedly earning, while that was not true.'
De Jong, who extended his contract until 2029 last October, remains focused on winning the Champions League and a trophy with the Netherlands. However, he emphasised his contentment at Barcelona: 'I truly enjoy every day that I can come here. Because that's what I always wanted: to play at Barcelona.'
