Barcelona manager Xavi has insisted that he is not trying to “send messages” to Frenkie de Jong by playing him out of position while Manchester United chase his signature.
De Jong has been involved in a drawn-out transfer saga , with United manager Erik ten Hag desperate to land the Dutchman so he can take a central role in his side for the upcoming season. Initial reports that an initial transfer fee for De Jong of £56.2million had been agreed have proved wide of the mark, but United have vowed not to give up on a deal despite Barca dragging their heels.
The 25-year-old is currently away on Barcelona’s pre-season tour of the US, but his future remains uncertain. The midfielder appears frustrated by the transfer saga and recently liked a post on Instagram from a user who wrote: "I dislike the way we have handled Frenkie's situation."
That’s the situation off the pitch. On it, things are similarly confusing, with Xavi insisting on playing the midfielder in central defence. Having opted for a midfield three of Sergio Busquets, Pedri and Gavi for a clash with Real Madrid in Nevada on Sunday, Xavi then brought De Jong on at half-time for Andreas Christensen, positioning him at the heart of defence.
Supporters have suggested that the unusual tactic is Xavi’s way of dealing with the ongoing transfer interest from United. After the 1-0 win, which came courtesy of new signing Raphinha, the 42-year-old rubbished those suggestions.
"Frenkie? I don't send messages. I spoke with him. I like him a lot,” he said. “For me, he is a fundamental footballer but there is also the economic situation and fair play. He can bring us a lot as a centre-back. I like him in that position."
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The “economic situation” Xavi refers to is the reason why many believe that Barca are privately open to his departure despite their current public stance. De Jongl is one of the highest earners at the Camp Nou and is owed a series of payments through amortizations and other clauses that could prove expensive for the debt-ridden club.
De Jong has started neither of Barcelona ’s friendly games in the US so far and, with Raphinha joining for an initial fee of £49m from Leeds and Robert Lewandowski for £42.5m from Bayern Munich, there is a feeling Barca need to sell De Jong to balance the books. That is in spite of recent comments from club president Joan Laporta.
“Frenkie de Jong is our player, we really like him,” Laporta told ESPN. “We received some offers for Frenkie but we didn’t accept as of now, we want to talk with him and know exactly what he wants. We need to clarify some aspects of his situation.”
