‘If he stays, he will be important’ - Xavi uncertain what future holds for Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona

Frenkie de Jong will be an ‘important player’ for Barcelona this season if he stays, according to Xavi, but the Barca boss admitted he is unsure what the future holds for the Dutch midfielder. De Jong was left on the bench for Barcelona’s opening game of the new La Liga season on Saturday, a 0-0 draw at home to Rayo Vallecano, but came on for the final 30 minutes. Ad The Netherlands international’s future has been the subject of rampant speculation throughout the summer, amid interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.

Transfers'We will make this dream a reality' — Laporta determined to bring Messi back to Barcelona29/07/2022 AT 09:34 But Xavi doesn’t intend to leave the playmaker on the sidelines for long if he is still a Blaugrana player when the transfer window closes on September 1. “De Jong is not a bench player. He is a very important player and I’ve said it many times,” Xavi said.

“He has played very well. He is going to be an important player. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the transfer market, but if he stays with us, he will be an important player.” 'We are optimistic' — Xavi relaxed over Barcelona's finances and new signings Barca frustrated by Rayo as Busquets sees red in scrappy goalless draw Ballon d'Or organisers explain Messi shorlist snub, defend Ronaldo inclusion The stalemate marked a disappointing start to the campaign for Barca, after a busy summer of transfer activity raised hopes of a title challenge.