Once again, De Jong suffered a blackout in the Clásico that shows a worrying lack of leadership in the Barcelona game especially for a player who arrived in 2019 at the Camp Nou with the vitola of being the dominant midfielder for the next five years and for which Barcelona paid 86 million euros.
The Dutch midfielder spent a first season of adaptation in which his discreet performance was overlooked (42 games played with two goals scored and four assists) and last season, with Koeman already on the bench, He seemed to rebound improving his data playing 51 games, scoring seven goals and serving 8 assists. It seemed that after the first year the improvement in his second season augured a third year, the present, in which his confirmation should arrive.
But nothing at all. De Jong’s start to the season is a clear step back from his performance a year ago, has returned to the starting box and has suffered a new blackout.
For example, the unfortunate game that the footballer starred against Real Madrid in Sunday’s Classic at the Camp Nou in which Frenkie was absolutely inconsequential to the point that Koeman replaced him in the 77th minute, when he is one of his flagship players..
In the time he was on the field, De Jong did not finish once on goal, he lost five balls (a couple of them, more than compromised) and only received one foul. An absolutely transparent performance that makes your ownership is in jeopardy at the moment in which Pedri is recovered, because Busquets and Gavi seem to have the position assured.
At 24 years old and with a contract in force until June 30, 2026, De Jong transmits worrying feelings. This season he has played eleven games, has not seen the door and has seen a red card. To look for something positive about his performance, you have to rescue his two assists.
In a squad in which the squad is divided between very young or very veteran players, a footballer like 24-year-old Frenkie de Jong should take command of operations and exercise a hierarchy, which due to expectations and price is not fulfilling in absolute.
