He's not even the best midfielder in his own team and he never has been at any club he's played for so...
Frenkie De Jong | Performances
- Thread starter Cait Sith
- Start date
He is the best midfielder in his own team and he was pretty close to being the best midfielder in his team maybe after Kimmich who incidentally I named as one of the top 5 CMs in the world, the other I named being Fabinho, those 3 are up there with the best in the world so even if he isn’t outright best he can still be considered in these discussions.
Fabinho, Kimmich, Goretzka all better and even at Liverpool the likes of Henderson often gets preferred...I like watching him play, it's poetry but it's not actually that effective.
Thiago has definitely been our best midfielder this season. Was also our best midfielder in our run in of wins to secure third last season.
The notion that he's struggling with us is just wishful thinking at this stage. The only thing that's been holding him back is injury.
The notion that he's struggling with us is just wishful thinking at this stage. The only thing that's been holding him back is injury.
Nah don’t think that’s the case maybe ask the Bayern fans on this forum.
Kimmich was the best CM in the world before his anti-vax ways caught up with him. Had been for a few seasons really
Fabinho is just better though.
Still not starting, let's see when he'll get subbed on.
He ain’t getting into this Barca midfield while they’re at full strength. Pedri and Gavi are so good.
Not surprising. He will almost never start when both Busquets and Gavi are available for selection. Even then it's not a guarantee. But he will still be useful to Xavi in my opinion.
To have your highest paid player play a secondary role is kinda embarrassing.
Coming on now by the way.
What a bottlejob. Can't believe he decided to stay, irrespective of whether he moved to United or another team.
Comes on for pedri.
0-3 and game over too, what a twit if he's happy with this all season.
Ronaldo is playing a secondary role and I don't feel embarrassed. Besides, they already washed their hands with their smear campaign and by pinning it all on Bartomeu. He will have his chances anyway.
Seems to be happy just to call himself a Barca player. Playing is secondary.
Hey, he might get a start tomorrow against Arsenal!
So not that bad.
Wasteful
Wonder if he'll come to his senses by January
Perfect response
Yes he should have given up 18m euros
Chelsea were going to pay the money and so were we at the end. Not sure about PSG.
I get your point but I'm also very sure that United would have been willing to make up that shortfall of 18m
He wants his 17m. Period
Too many ***** spoil the troth.
Some sour grapes in this thread 
From his point of view, you can see why he'd want to stay at a Barca side on the up and not join the uncertainty and mess that United was. As for game time, Xavi is a huge fan of his and he's said it plenty of times over the past year so I'm sure he'll be playing again. That spot occupied by Gavi is one that will see a fair bit of rotation I believe and given Pedris injury issues last year, if they re occur, there's plenty of games for everyone to go around. Kessie is the one who just won't get games though.
Gavi did very well today but he is not a dead cert to start every game. Unless he can keep up this level of performance
His girlfriend likes Barcelona and refused to move...plus he's contractually owed the money.
Calma, the season is long, he'll get plenty of opportunities. Gavi starts on merit currently though, he's been ridiculously good. Crazy to think as he's only just turned 18 but think he'll end up the superior player.
gavi and Pedri are ridiculous for their age. It’s hard to imagine him playing over either that often really.
I still don't see Gavi being a starter long-term though and FDJ will eventually come back in. Pedri and Gavi though, are easily two of the best young midfielders in the world.
He'd not start over Pedri but he's still better than Gavi even though the latter had a wonderful game today and shows a lot more tenacity than the former.
Agreed. It's a game of chicken and bluff. Barca will either have to find a way to get the best out of him, or pay him. My suspicion is the financial pressures they're under will mean they will eventually pay up.
Barca were hoping we would cave in and pay off De Jong's deferred wages for them, and tried pressuring De Jong with threats of legal action and tarnishing his name. The Casemiro signing bought us some time and showed we weren't just going to pay up for Barca, and De Jong held out for what he is entitled too. He will sign for us either next summer or possibly even in January. Or another club potentially - I just hope another big club doesn't set their sights on him in the meantime.
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It's even worse if he's better than Gavi but still doesn't start over him. Maybe because it's not De Jongs position.
That is actually part of the problem, any of the 3 midfield positions that Barca play, none of them suit De Jong's natural game. He's not an #8 and he's not a lone #6.
That is actually part of the problem, any of the 3 midfield positions that Barca play, none of them suit De Jong's natural game. He's not an #8 and he's not a lone #6.
I don't really think it's a problem because he was an integral part of Xavi's midfield last year and he was magnificent even in games like at the Bernebeau. They've also not added any midfielders apart from Kessi who clearly isn't a starter so I don't know how he suddenly doesn't fit in when he did last year.
I think he stayed to not lose the deferred wages, on principle. We were ready to get him, but Barça didn’t give in because they are thieving cnuts.
Don't want him. Next season we should chase another midfielder. One thing I'm most impressed so far by Ten Hag is that he has taken very ambitious and ruthless characters into his team that want to play for United which is what we've been missing since SAF left. Frenkie doesn't fit that mould.
A little offtopic but I genuinely wonder how Frenkie is perceived in the Barcelona lockerroom these days since he refuses to lower his wages. Players like Pique, Busquets and Alba and more all agreed to take both paycuts AND wage deferrals back in 2021. Frenkie only agreed for a wage deferral and still refuses to lower his salary.
Legally, Frenkie is 100% in the right. Im curious if the squad players who have made significant financial contributions to the club feel the same way though.
Legally, Frenkie is 100% in the right. Im curious if the squad players who have made significant financial contributions to the club feel the same way though.