Frenkie de Jong debate resurfaces – is he still a nailed on starter for Barcelona?

Frenkie de Jong has made historical past at FC Barcelona: the midfielder now holds the membership report for probably the most appearances by a Dutch participant. That’s nothing to smell at given Barcelona’s storied historical past with gamers from the Netherlands.

However the newest debate surrounding the midfielder asks whether or not the period the place the Dutch midfielder is a assured starter is likely to be drawing to a detailed. That’s as a result of the panorama within the Blaugrana midfield has shifted lately. Gavi has made a exceptional return from harm, together with his trademark tenacity and telepathic understanding with Pedri. Concurrently, the speedy rise of Marc Bernal means Hansi Flick may have one other choice to pair with Pedri. In keeping with Diario AS, De Jong is now not thought-about fully untouchable, even when his high quality stays simple.

It’s not that De Jong has had a poor 12 months – no, if something, it’s fairly the alternative. With 38 appearances, a objective, and 9 assists, he has posted a few of his greatest statistical output since his standout 2020-21 marketing campaign underneath Ronald Koeman. Below Flick, De Jong has been taking part in at a faster, two-touch tempo relatively than relying so closely on the lengthy, ball-carrying runs that initially made him well-known at Ajax.

But a sense persists amongst some critics that he hasn’t constantly dominated the grandest levels. He was lacking through the emphatic victories over Newcastle United (7-2 within the UEFA Champions League) and Atlético Madrid (3-0 within the Copa del Rey).

And whereas he shone through the winter months, his presence couldn’t avert the heavy cup defeat on the Metropolitano that finally proved deadly for Barcelona’s Copa del Rey chase. Although to be truthful, De Jong didn’t play virtually any function in Barcelona’s doomed Champions League tie vs. Atléti, as he logged solely 10 minutes over two legs.

The talk surrounding his model of play is one thing the participant himself is keenly conscious of, and he isn’t afraid to defend his method. In a current interview with Diario SPORT, De Jong addressed the criticism concerning his decision-making on the ball.

“There are conditions during which maybe I may cross the ball sooner. However if you’re the free man and there’s no different free man, it is unnecessary to cross it. It’s important to play ahead with somebody who has a bonus. If you’re the free man and the fullback is half-free, however you see an opponent coming in direction of him, it is unnecessary to offer him the ball,” he defined.

De Jong spoke out towards critics in the identical interview, saying that whereas some journalists perceive the sport of soccer, many don’t.

It’s a frustration shared by distinguished commentators like David Bernabeu, who lately argued that De Jong has unfairly grow to be a daily scapegoat for the workforce’s collective shortcomings. He claimed that critics are fast guilty De Jong for defeats however ignore his contributions when the workforce succeeds. Maybe, Bernabeu argues, there may be extra criticism for a foreigner – even somebody recognized with the Barcelona method – than there could be for a graduate from La Masia.

Regardless of the fixed noise and previous turbulence, such because the summer season of 2022 when the board tried to push him towards Manchester United for monetary causes, De Jong’s dedication to the membership stays absolute.

Now a father of two and completely settled within the metropolis, his relationship with membership president Joan Laporta has stabilized. He has no intention of packing his luggage, a stance he reiterated by extending his contract by 2029.