In the summer of 2020, when the seriousness of Barcelona’s financial predicament was starting to become clear, Goal reported that offers for every single member of Ronald Koeman’s squad would be considered.
Well, every single member of Ronald Koeman’s squad – bar three.
Lionel Messi, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Frenkie De Jong, they claimed, were the only ‘Untouchables’ at the Camp Nou.
Flash forward 18 months, however, Messi is gone and De Jong could soon be following the greatest footballer of the 21st Century – and perhaps of all time – out of the Camp Nou.
According to Sport, De Jong is not exactly loving life in Catalonia.
When he joined from Ajax two years ago, the £63 million Dutchman probably expected to be competing for Champions League and La Liga glory in red-and-blue.
As it stands, however, Barcelona are eighth in La Liga. And, in the spring, the Spanish giants will be playing Europa League football for the very first time.
Suddenly, De Jong’s future appears to be shrouded in doubt. Sport add that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are ‘crazy’ about the 24-year-old playmaker.
And, with Barcelona still over a billion euros in debt, it is not out of the question that Liverpool or Bayern could make an offer that the Blaugrana simply cannot refuse.
Will Barcelona sell Frenkie de Jong to Liverpool?
“Of course, I know that Barcelona needs money and a great offer for Frenkie could help,” De Jong’s father told AD this week. “The five top European clubs have all called.”
De Jong Sr did not confirm Liverpool’s interest.
But even the most ardent of Manchester United or Everton supporters would struggle to argue that the rampant Reds are not one of the ‘top five European clubs’ right now.
In the last year and a half, Barcelona have sold fringe players and forgotten men by the bucketload, while parting with a whole host of 30-something superstars from Ivan Rakitic to Luis Suarez.
De Jong, however, is a player in his prime. One of Barcelona’s ‘Untouchables’.
Selling him would feel like an admission of the dire situation Barca find themselves in.
Then again, the phrase ‘Untouchable’ doesn’t really exist at club a billion euros in debt. No one is unsellable these days.
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