Manchester United have long been linked with the Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong but he says he has no intention to exit Camp Nou.
The 25-year-old midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in the off-season, but it never materialized despite United’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag trying to convince him.
The situation has been complicated by De Jong’s contract situation with financially strapped Barcelona, which has turned into a protracted saga, fueling talk that United could move for him again at the end of this season.
But De Jong has made it clear that he has no intention of leaving Camp Nou, where he is under contract until 2026.
“I was calm because I knew I wanted to stay at Barca and I haven’t changed my mind,” De Jong told RAC1.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing for Barcelona and I want to succeed at Barca. At the moment I’m calm and I want to continue at Barca.”
De Jong, who joined Barcelona from Ajax in 2019, added that he has a lot to prove with the Catalans.
“I’ve never won LaLiga,” he said. “It’s my fourth year here and it’s a time when I’m closer. But there’s still a long way to go.
“It is our main goal and we will do everything for it.”
De Jong has made 18 starts, with four appearances off the bench, in Barcelona’s 24 LaLiga games this term, ensuring he has been a key part of their success with 14 games to go and a nine-point lead.
“The four-back system is good for me, but apart from that, I’m playing more at the base of midfield this year, where I feel more comfortable,” he said.
“And then I have more freedom to move, drive and cross the lines. Busquets helps me a lot because he conveys a lot of calmness. He is very confident with the ball and defensively he is much better than people think.”
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