Paris Saint-Germain had their eyes on Frenkie de Jong in 2019 when it became clear that he would leave Ajax. However, FC Barcelona would secure the Dutchman, and one player might have helped guide him to the Catalan side.
Since joining the Spanish side, the 27-year-old has made 214 appearances, scoring 17 goals and registering 21 assists. The former Ajax man has also won one LaLiga title, one Copa del Rey, and one Supercopa de España.
Nonetheless, this production wouldn’t have been possible without Eric Abidal, who recently revealed what he told de Jong when the player was making his decision on where to continue his career after Ajax.
“After Ajax beat Madrid in the Champions League, a lot of big clubs wanted to sign Frenkie,” Abidal said. “He told me he was going to PSG because his coach had talked to him about it. I then told him that when you join Barça, it’s the club itself that brings you in, not just a coach.”
🗣️Abidal: “Después de que el Ajax ganara al Madrid en la Champions, muchos clubes importantes querían fichar a Frenkie. Frenkie me dijo que se iba a ir al PSG, porque su entrenador había hablado con él. Entonces le dije que cuando llegas al Barça, es el club como institución el… pic.twitter.com/pdSQ0KiD06
— Som I Serem FCB (@Somhiseremfcb) October 9, 2024
While PSG missed in 2019, a report from SPORT this month reveals that the Parisians are also monitoring de Jong’s situation closely. However, his main priority is to continue at Barça as his contract with the LaLiga side expires in 2026.
Barcelona must determine whether to extend his contract or sell him next summer.
