KEY POINTS

  • Man Utd wanted to sign Frenkie de Jong in the summer
  • The player refused to join Man Utd
  • He has started only four games at Barca this season

Frenkie de Jong is reportedly unhappy with his current situation at FC Barcelona.

The 2022 summer transfer window saw De Jong being involved in a huge transfer saga as he was a top target of Manchester United. While there was an agreement between both clubs for De Jong's transfer, the Dutch midfielder refused to leave Barcelona and stayed with the Catalans without lowering his wages.

De Jong opted to continue at Barcelona assuming he would play a key role in new boss Xavi Hernandez's project. However, that has not been the case so far this season. It has left De Jong frustrated and the player now wants to leave Barcelona next summer, Spanish outlet Diario Sport reported.

While the former Ajax midfielder believed he would have a decisive role in Xavi's team this campaign, he has been nothing but just another player in the squad.

Xavi has been playing De Jong only in the final few minutes of important games, including their latest 3-3 draw with Inter Milan in the Champions League. De Jong came off the bench and featured on the field just for 26 minutes at Camp Nou.

The 25-year-old wants regular game time at Barcelona but he is also aware that he has fallen behind young midfielders such as Gavi and Pedri in Xavi's pecking order. Xavi also is not seeing De Jong as a long-term replacement for veteran midfielder Sergio Bisquets, according to Barca Universal.

Frenkie De Jong has been a target for Manchester United but is reportedly reluctant to leave Barcelona

If the situation remains the same for the rest of the season, it won't be surprising if De Jong himself pushes for an exit next summer. The doors for him at Manchester United are still open as the Old Trafford club is in contact with the Netherlands player's representatives. De Jong will not only be a regular starter at Manchester United, but also be a key figure in Ten Hag's project.

Out of the 10 appearances he made for Barcelona this season, De Jong had only four starts, three in La Liga and one in the Champions League. He has scored one goal but has made no assists so far this term.

Barcelona are on the brink of Champions League elimination as they are third in their group and have just four points from four games. Their next game is a big one as they travel to the Spanish capital to lock horns against Real Madrid in La Liga on Sunday.

The winner of the El Classico will go to the top of the 2022-23 La Liga table. As of now, both Barcelona and Real Madrid have 22 points each and the former are the table-toppers because of a superior goal difference.