21 - Frenkie de Jong

[Joan]

So you are comparing Oriol, Puig and Alena to De Jong? Al 3 of them are currently playing third division football while De Jong is playing CL and NT football. Be serious!

Let's not pretend it's the same playing for Barca and Ajax as 20 something years old. De Jong might be (and probably is) a better talent, but that's not the question. The question is if he's 80 mil better. In the end, he's played only a few matches as a midfielder in his senior career. We're not talking about an experienced (young) player here. Like Rabiot. Whether he's worth the money or not, I don't know that.

 

[Donatello]

WTF are you talking about? If there is one young midfielder who is worth that money and long negotiation proces it’s De Jong.

Its not about whether he is worth 70M or not, its more about we always end up overpaying even for above average market prices.

If we really wanted him, we could have increased the offer a bit more and get it done, instead of dragging it till the last. If they were asking too much, then its the end of the deal & time to look for alternatives, unless the player improves enough to be worth the price tag next year.

 

[Donatello]

What will we do with our midfield if he comes? Alena, Samper, Busquets, Rafinha, Rakitic, Vidal, potentially Riqui, Denis, Arthur, and Coutinho aren't going to be able to fit in the same midfield, even if half of them ride the bench most of the time.

Think about a scene 2-3 years later,

* Suarez, Vidal, Samper, Rafinha will be gone.
* Busquets, Raki would be on their final contracts (most prob.)
* Denis, Oriol will be a boom or bust by then.

That leaves us with Arthur, Coutinho, Alena, Puig, De Jong...

* The MF 3 will be Arthur, De jong, Alena or Coutinho.
* Could move Coutinho to wings, and play the rest 3 in MF.

TLDR; De jong won't be an issue.

Our team could look like this, (its just an estimate..)

Coutinho(LW) Messi(CF) Dembele(RW)
Arthur(LCM) De jong(CDM) Alena(RCM)
*__*(LB) De Ligt(CB) Umtiti(CB) Roberto/Semedo/*new(RB)
Ter Stegen(GK)

 

[tacticvarium]

So you are comparing Oriol, Puig and Alena to De Jong? Al 3 of them are currently playing third division football while De Jong is playing CL and NT football. Be serious!

If Aleñá and Oriol were Dutch players and has gone through Ajax youth academy, they would be obviously also playing CL and NT football or even bigger by now.
It's much easier for young players to play for the first team in Dutch league and the whole nation has been suffering the lack of quality and depth for many years so it doesn't really prove anything significant when you are playing for Dutch NT these days

 

[khaled_a_d]

So you are comparing Oriol, Puig and Alena to De Jong? Al 3 of them are currently playing third division football while De Jong is playing CL and NT football. Be serious!

1-I didn't compare, Those are players with a serious 1st team potential. FDJ has one year of professional football in a crappy -to put it mildly- league and just made his debut with a NT that failed to reach last 2 major tournaments who are trying to rebuild and in youth movements. That doesn't say much or make him proven player.
2-You are the one talking about 70M for eredivisie player, you aren't really in a position to tell me to get serious

Don't see why RB would be a big need as many people claim Roberto is one of the best RBs in the World and Semedo is an okay backup. I don't know(think) if you said that, but you said he was in the La Liga Team of the Season and is good enough so keep going with him.

I stand to my opinion and already explained it, thought you are the one thinking otherwise

Personally I believe de Ligt is a bigger need right now, but if de Jong proves to be the kind of talent he's touted and hyped to be, and proves it in the CL by taking Ajax forward then I would be willing to pay big money for him. Better spending 70m on a player like that if he proves himself to be that huge of a talent, than spending 30 millions on other players that are inferior.
CB, Striker, MF if a big talent/opportunity presents itself.

I agree with this, but I really don't see him being able to prove himself being that good this year, but yeah if he had a stellar performance in CL knockout stages then I won't be against getting him with price mentioned. Again think that is very very unlikely

Its not about whether he is worth 70M or not, its more about we always end up overpaying even for above average market prices.

If we really wanted him, we could have increased the offer a bit more and get it done, instead of dragging it till the last. If they were asking too much, then its the end of the deal & time to look for alternatives, unless the player improves enough to be worth the price tag next year.

With Ajax, unless player is at the end of his contract he will be always sold over his market value by some margin.
So if he warranted their asking price next season, they will be asking even more and wait until they found someone desperate enough to pay that much for him.

 

[messi2140]

I agree with this, but I really don't see him being able to prove himself being that good this year, but yeah if he had a stellar performance in CL knockout stages then I won't be against getting him with price mentioned. Again think that is very very unlikely

.

And yet De ligt was rock solid and one of the best along with Fdj against the Word cup winners. Guy is 19 years old and is showing incredible maturity on the pitch while also captaining the best team in Netherland.

 

[Sorin]

Hopefully he has a good CL showing, gains valuable experience and we buy him in the next summer.

Next year we should sell Rakitic while he still holds value, Rafinha will also have nice value if he won't be injured half the time this season, and with Denis, Munir and maybe Vidal(come on China!) too we should be able to accumulate enough funds to buy both him and De Ligt as well as a forward/striker. Depending on how Paco and Gomes perform we could bolster that budget even more.

Just hope we won't waste a ton of money on a show pony like Pogba.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Hopefully Ajax get out of the group stages.. between them and Benfica you would think with Bayern topping group.

 

[Jombi]

Hopefully Ajax are knocked out in the group stages. Dont want his value to increase any further.

 

[Gnidrologist]

Hope they win CL so we can buy him for 150 mil.(i just like Ajax n'all)

 

[Raketa10]

Great article about De Jong:

https://www.theringer.com/soccer/20...z-beckenbauer-ajax-barcelona-false-centerback

 

[Riordon]

Good article. Also sad we missed out on Naby Keita for just 50m. Naby Keita and Frenkie de Jong are always looking for a line breaking move, either pass or drible.

We can't miss out on De Jong. These midfielders are rare.

 

[Barcaman]

Sport claims he's our priority.

 

[God Serena]

Won't matter who we sign as long as Valverde is manager.

 

[Raketa10]

Won't matter who we sign as long as Valverde is manager.

He is a player for the future, Valverde won't be here for the next 10 years.