Frenkie de Jong | The last muppeting lap

[Tweek]

"Frenkie knows what the club wants and needs" according to Xavi. They are obviously still negotiating and maintaining the whole 'if you stay you must fall in line' stance. It is stuck at 'we pay you this and you leave or you stay and sign this new contract' and everyone is refusing to back down.

Do Barca actually have anything to lose any more? Does FDJ staying on his current contract really stop them registering their new signings?

 

[joedirt87]

Why was he not played a single minute? Even Garner would have done better than those two lump of crap

something about kids not being ready and needing to send them on loan to championship teams until they are 22-23

 

[crossy1686]

This post has gone full numpty.

And he still recovered quicker than Pogba did from his muscle injury!

 

[hobbers]

Do Barca actually have anything to lose any more? Does FDJ staying on his current contract really stop them registering their new signings?

Pretty much yes. Because there's a hard cap on their wage bill. It's linked to their turnover and even with selling bits of themselves off, they can't artificially engineer that any more than they have already.

 

[AlexUTD]

after the scored he reminded me of a player who is leaving, half smiled at teammates and played it calmly. Hes leaving

Deffo leaving and getting his dream move to Manchester United.

 

[Brownie85]

Think this thread should be temporarily closed.

Nah I don't think it should be... maybe you should temporarily not read it?

 

[Matt851]

So ruiz was available for £25m all summer and we haven't shown any interest in doing the deal because of frenkie. Pretty laughable given the number of other positions that need addressing. We could have got ruiz and another for fdjs fee and wages

 

[sourdough satellite]

Pretty much yes. Because there's a hard cap on their wage bill. It's linked to their turnover and even with selling bits of themselves off, they can't artificially engineer that any more than they have already.

They could always sell the remaining 75% of their TV rights for the next 25 years + the other 51% of BarcaStudios.

 

[Nicoseth]

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This simply cannot be true. Surely we have someone as a backup? To spend all summer chasing de Jong, to not get him and then sign no one in that position would be an outrage.

 

[Brownie85]

So ruiz was available for £25m all summer and we haven't shown any interest in doing the deal because of frenkie. Pretty laughable given the number of other positions that need addressing. We could have got ruiz and another for fdjs fee and wages

Maybe Ruiz wasn't the type or player ten Hag wants, or maybe he's absolutely certain that de Jong is coming? Maybe he knows something we don't? I don't know, but for us to still be in for him shows we're confident

 

[ZolaWasMagic]

he will 100% stay. They'll **** him into this Mes un cule BS and he'll cut his wage to a pittance.

Enjoy the sunshine.

I've always suspected he will stay. He wants to stay, Xavi wants him to stay as does Laporta. They'll activate another lever or flog off deadwood and pay what he is owed out of it. Or give him a new deal with a substantial signing on fee.... perhaps around 17m over contract duration?

If they were trying to force him out, you can guarantee he wouldnt be involved in matches, banished to train alone and all that nonsense. This is 'Brokealona' does anyone really think they have agreed an 85m deal for FdJ and then go and play him risking losing the whole lot

 

[Matt851]

Maybe Ruiz wasn't the type or player ten Hag wants, or maybe he's absolutely certain that de Jong is coming? Maybe he knows something we don't? I don't know, but for us to still be in for him shows we're confident

Yes but we have proven to be laughably inept on so many occasions that even if the club is confident. There is a good chance that confidence is misplaced.

There is is chance ruiz might not be the type of player eth wants but he would be a huge upgrade on our current options and would appear to fit into his system

 

[Annihilate Now!]

This simply cannot be true. Surely we have someone as a backup? To spend all summer chasing de Jong, to not get him and then sign no one in that position would be an outrage.

It's an outrage we're not looking to sign another midfielder as well as FDJ...

 

[Brownie85]

Yes but we have proven to be laughably inept on so many occasions that even if the club is confident. There is a good chance that confidence is misplaced.

There is is chance ruiz might not be the type of player eth wants but he would be a huge upgrade on our current options and would appear to fit into his system

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you totally and he most definitely would be so much better than what we have already, but there must be a reason as to why the club and ten Hag are so confident on de Jong. I have no idea myself why, but he must have had some assurances of some kind? If he wasn't willing to come, we'd have walked

 

[Tweek]

Pretty much yes. Because there's a hard cap on their wage bill. It's linked to their turnover and even with selling bits of themselves off, they can't artificially engineer that any more than they have already.

I know there are wage cap restrictions based on turnover as part of Spanish FFP but is there a way they can keep him on his current wages and register 4+ new signings, even if it is one they would only pursue reluctantly? I don't see how they can play these games without knowing what the worst case scenario is and being ready to ride that out. Otherwise they have put the immediate future of their club in the hands of FDJ and his agent. That doesn't strike me as any kind of position to negotiate from... surely you'd realise that pretty quickly and pay whatever you needed just to get out of it?

 

[Suv666]

Maybe Ruiz wasn't the type or player ten Hag wants, or maybe he's absolutely certain that de Jong is coming? Maybe he knows something we don't? I don't know, but for us to still be in for him shows we're confident

Dunno mate after the Arnautovic bombshell dont think ETH really knows what he's doing in the market. He's a brilliant coach and that's it.

 

[TrebleChamp99]

A logical response to todays pitiful display in midfield would be to accelerate this and get it done by any means needed.

United don’t operate like that and will definitely dally.

 

[charlenefan]

Dunno mate after the Arnautovic bombshell dont think ETH really knows what he's doing in the market. He's a brilliant coach and that's it.

Just highlights the lack of Sporting Director again doesn't it. Either ETH vetoed every single player the club have scouted over the last few years or the club just haven't scouted anyone over the last few years Whichever is the answer it highlights a massive problem

 

[sebsheep]

This simply cannot be true. Surely we have someone as a backup? To spend all summer chasing de Jong, to not get him and then sign no one in that position would be an outrage.

Doesn't really line up with starting McTomminay and Fred today either.

 

[Ted Lasso]

This simply cannot be true. Surely we have someone as a backup? To spend all summer chasing de Jong, to not get him and then sign no one in that position would be an outrage.

ETH said this. In an interview. Twitter loved that most people ignored the coaches own words and clicked and retweeted all other rumors left and right. And now that the season has begun they're luring you back in with secretive phrasing on something that was straight from the horses mouth, primary source.

 

[Ted Lasso]

Is this what they call 4D chess? Worked well for Trump.

There's definitely some sort of playbook for Twitter and social media "news" centered around misdirection, inciting emotion and reframing truths

 

[Moriarty]

There's definitely some sort of playbook for Twitter and social media "news" centered around misdirection, inciting emotion and reframing truths

Oh, for sure. We'[re an easy target. Like the Brighton account and the 'your city is blue' nonsense. They stole that from Chelsea.

 

[Nicoseth]

It's an outrage we're not looking to sign another midfielder as well as FDJ...

100%.

 

[Plant0x84]

Maybe Ruiz wasn't the type or player ten Hag wants, or maybe he's absolutely certain that de Jong is coming? Maybe he knows something we don't? I don't know, but for us to still be in for him shows we're confident

Jaap Stam thinks this, and he still thinks Frenkie is coming. Good enough for me!!

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Just highlights the lack of Sporting Director again doesn't it. Either ETH vetoed every single player the club have scouted over the last few years or the club just haven't scouted anyone over the last few years Whichever is the answer it highlights a massive problem

Weren't there reports, he came in and scrapped the scouting team's list of potential targets?

At this point, it doesn't seem like we've learned anything.

We've again given too much control to the manager for transfers and it's likely the reason for this disastrous window.

 

[Chief123]

Jaap Stam thinks this, and he still thinks Frenkie is coming. Good enough for me!!

Inject me with some fecking links you tease. It’s been an absolutely shit show of a day, so at least feed a man some honey.

 

[Fanta Stick]

I see the fiancee has put up a couple of photos to her instagram the past couple of days.

Looking quite content with her lot so she is. Or are they smiles of resignation?

She is hard to read.

 

[Bluelion7]

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you totally and he most definitely would be so much better than what we have already, but there must be a reason as to why the club and ten Hag are so confident on de Jong. I have no idea myself why, but he must have had some assurances of some kind? If he wasn't willing to come, we'd have walked

Has any one considered that, in being overly deferential to Ten Hag, and not wanting to upset his relationship with him, could have given him bad signals? Like “I would LOVE to play for you again… if I couldn’t play at Barca there’s no one else I’d want to play for” kind of thing. But on the flip side he never really considered not playing for Barca or what he would really do if Barca forced him to move.

 

[Chief123]

Weren't there reports, he came in and scrapped the scouting team's list of potential targets?

At this point, it doesn't seem like we've learned anything.

We've again given too much control to the manager for transfers and it's likely the reason for this disastrous window.

We’ve had a transfer window where we’ve bought 2 players with a transfer fee. I really don’t believe that was ETH’s plan regardless of the desire to wait for FDJ.

 

[antohan]

Maybe Ruiz wasn't the type or player ten Hag wants, or maybe he's absolutely certain that de Jong is coming? Maybe he knows something we don't? I don't know, but for us to still be in for him shows we're confidentincompetent

Fixed. With so many issues not under our control, that's what you were looking for.

 

[McTerminator]

If FDJ doesn’t come I really pray the club put a permanent ban on doing business with Barca.

As others have indicated after Cesc, Thiago and now FDJ we desperately need to learn the lesson.

 

[Plant0x84]

Inject me with some fecking links you tease. It’s been an absolutely shit show of a day, so at least feed a man some honey.

Ask and you shall receive.

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[Brownie85]

Ask and you shall receive.

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[Chief123]

Ask and you shall receive.

Tweet

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Thank you you absolute gorgeous beast. I will go to sleep with this tweet open on my phone with the screen set not to lock. So each time I wake up with a scare in the night, big Jaap will comfort me with this delightful opinion.

I swear I’m clinging on to some serious hopium that because he is Dutch he has some inside information. Because every Dutch person knows each other right?

 

[golden_blunder]

Ask and you shall receive.

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Don’t mess with Jaap

 

[antohan]

Has any one considered that, in being overly deferential to Ten Hag, and not wanting to upset his relationship with him, could have given him bad signals? Like “I would LOVE to play for you again… if I couldn’t play at Barca there’s no one else I’d want to play for” kind of thing. But on the flip side he never really considered not playing for Barca or what he would really do if Barca forced him to move.

You would think there's regular contact and not Chinese whispers from two months ago?

But yeah, at this stage I wouldn't be surprised if we've cocked it up... again.

 

[golden_blunder]

Jaap Stam should start being a Twitter transfer muppet like Romero. He could call it Jaaps Eye

 

[Plant0x84]

Thank you you absolute gorgeous beast. I will go to sleep with this tweet open on my phone with the screen set not to lock. So each time I wake up with a scare in the night, big Jaap will comfort me with this delightful opinion.

Stop, I’m blushing! Even my wife isn’t that enthused by me!

 

[Bluelion7]

Now, if it were me? I’d go to United in a heartbeat. Barcelona is never going to look at you the same way they did players like Pique, Xavi, Pedro et al: “true” Barca players. That’s why you were the one on the chopping block if it was necessary to begin with.

At United one of the biggest, most important clubs in the world has said they would literally build their entire team around you, with a coach you know well at the reigns. So what if you aren’t playing Europe for one season?

I always enjoy life more when I go places I’m wanted.(and yes this is the question for clever Caf responses).

 

[Chief123]

Has any one considered that, in being overly deferential to Ten Hag, and not wanting to upset his relationship with him, could have given him bad signals? Like “I would LOVE to play for you again… if I couldn’t play at Barca there’s no one else I’d want to play for” kind of thing. But on the flip side he never really considered not playing for Barca or what he would really do if Barca forced him to move.

Tbh, the only thing that gives me hope is that it would be absolutely crazy if ETH hasn’t spoken to FDJ this week and most certainly after this game and said “Mate, wtf is going on? Are you coming or what, you swanky blonde Dutch sausage!” I can only believe he’s been given some kind of strong assurance after the shit hit the fan today.