Getty season tour.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is facing an uncertain future at the Camp Nou with coach Xavi Hernandez unable to confirm if he will stay at the club next season.
The Dutchman may just have fuelled speculation about his future by handing out some gifts to supporters after training. De Jong was spotted leaving the Ciutat Esportiva with a box full of boots and was happy to hand over a pair, as shown by reporter Gerard Romero.
The suggestion is that De Jong has been clearing out his locker at Barcelona ahead of the team’s final game of the season on Sunday, May 22 against Villarreal at the Camp Nou.
📺 DIRECTO @JijantesFC
Frenkie de Jong ha salido hoy de la CE quan una caja grande y repartió algunas botas a los aficionados.
Un gesto de despedida de Frenkie?
Romero added some more detail via his Jijantes Twitter account.
He wrote, “One of the kids who was at the CE of Barça this morning tells us that Frenkie has given away 5 pairs of boots and 3 shirts among fans. He has told them that he wanted to say goodbye to all those who are there every day.”
De Jong has been a regular this season for Barca, making 46 appearances in all competitions. However, Barca do have plenty of midfield options such as Pedri, Nico Gonzalez, and Gavi if the club do opt to sell De Jong this summer.
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Xavi Offers Frenkie de Jong Update
Xavi spoke about De Jong at his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit from Villarreal. The manager once again expressed his admiration for the midfielder but admitted the club’s financial situation may dictate his future.
“Here we are talking about the economic situation again. For me he’s a great football player. I’ve told him, I think he can make the difference,” he said. “He can be part of an important era. We’ll see what the situation is. I really like Frenkie. He’s very capable, the way he dominates the game. He can definitely help us but we have to see what the situation is.”
The Barcelona boss has repeatedly made it clear this season that he wants to keep the 25-year-old at the Camp Nou. However, the club’s enormous debts means the Catalans may still be tempted to part ways with De Jong is a large offer arrives.
Xavi Talks Barcelona Exits
Barcelona are likely to wave goodbye to several players in the summer transfer window. Xavi has already admitted he’s told Samuel Umtiti, Riqui Puig, Oscar Mingueza, and Martin Braithwaite they are not part of his plans.
Xavi has also revealed he thinks it’s the right time to be discussing his plans for next season and making some big decisions when it comes to rebuilding his squad.
“I have already talked to some this week. I’ve talked with four or five players. They know my thoughts, my decision. From there we need to see how our plan goes. I’ve talked to them about minimum objectives,” he said. “Now is a good moment to start talking about these things and making the decisions. I’ve told some of the players I’m sad they won’t continue in the team next year.”
It remains to be seen if De Jong will be part of the Barca squad next season. The Dutchman has previously said he’d be happy to sign a “six-year extension” at the Camp Nou but the club’s enormous debts means the club may cash in if a tempting offer appears.
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