Barcelona beat out PSG in race for Frenkie de Jong

Barcelona have beat out PSG in their bid to sign Ajax midfielder, Frenkie de Jong.

In a move that sees Barcelona beat out competition from the likes of PSG and Manchester City, the club announced that they have signed Frenkie de Jong from Ajax. The club paid Ajax a transfer fee of €75 million plus an additional €11 million in variables. The move sees the young midfielder arrive at the Camp Nou next summer along with a five-year contract through the 2023/24 season. It also makes him the most expensive Dutch signing, surpassing the €85 million that Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk.

In a post on his Twitter account, Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, wrote the following:

"With the arrival of Frenkie de Jong we add talent, youth and Barca style to our sporting project. We are convinced that he will be a part of our team for years to come. Welcome, Frenkie!"

Barcelona wrapped up this deal rather quickly after reports claimed that De Jong had agreed terms with PSG. When news of that surfaced, Bartomeu and other Barcelona executives traveled to Amsterdam to try to change the player’s mind. Evidently it worked since a few days after their meeting, the club announced his signing.

At just 21 years of age, De Jong has already established himself as a stalwart with Ajax and, alongside his teammate, Matthijs de Ligt, are one of the reasons for the Netherlands recent resurgence in the international stage. In their statement, Barcelona described De Jong as a “polyvalent player with an excellent reading of the game and ability to provide the killer pass.”

His signing fills a variety of needs for the Catalan club. While not the same player as Sergio Busquets, he can fill a role there and provide an alternative for the 30-year old Spanish midfielder as well as be an option for the other midfield positions. With Rakitic, Arturo Vidal, and the aforementioned Busquets all entering the latter part of their careers, De Jong’s signing is a step in the right direction for the club’s future. We’ve seen them struggle trying to find replacements for Iniesta and Xavi leading them to sign players like Arda Turan and Andre Gomes to little success.

De Jong had always thrown signs that he preferred Barcelona over the other clubs whether it be on social media or in interviews. The question was would the Catalans offer Ajax a fee that they deemed suitable. In the end, Barcelona did. With Carles Aleña, Arthur Melo, Riqui Puig, Oriol Busquets, and now De Jong, Barcelona’s midfield looks to be in good hands for years to come.