Frenkie de Jong: Barcelona star proved he's actually rapid in Dembele race

Frenkie de Jong is everywhere in the headlines right now.

It seems Barcelona have been looking to get their Dutch star – who they owe £17 million to in deferred wages to – off the books so they can register their new signings.

As a result, De Jong has been heavily linked to Manchester United and Chelsea all summer.

It was reported last month that a fee was agreed in principle between United and Barcelona, however De Jong’s desire for Champions League action was enough to turn him off the thought.

Meanwhile, a move to Chelsea could be edging ever closer with Barcelona threatening a lawsuit if De Jong doesn’t agree to revert back to his 2019 contract, after the club allegedly found ‘evidence of criminality’ from the parties involved in negotiating the deal.

All in all, it’s been an rather unexpectedly difficult time for the Dutchman, who, until recently at least, consistently reaffirmed his desire to play for the club.

Only he knows how he feels in this moment with the plot thickening by the day, but something tells us that there’s no happy ending in sight for De Jong at Camp Nou.

One things for certain though, should he leave, then one lucky club will be picking up one hell of a player.

Ever since breaking into professional football at Ajax, De Jong’s had a reputation as being one of those Xabi Alonso-esque talents that glides about the pitch, dictating proceedings with his passing.

Often deep-lying playmakers like that are laboursome when it comes to getting about the pitch at speed and are forced to rely on their quick-thinking to protect against the need for that.

Although, it seems with De Jong that he’s an exception to that rule – at least that’s what fans have made of a video doing the rounds on Twitter.

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