Manchester City won the 2017/18 Premier League title with a record number of points, classifying themselves as one of the best teams in the world. They were a well-oiled machine under Pep Guardiola and had an aura of invincibility.
However, as they say, all good things eventually do come to an end. Two of their most vital midfield players – Fernandinho (33) and David Silva (32) – are ageing with every passing week, meaning the manager must look elsewhere for a long-term option.
One name that is constantly being linked with the Cityzens is that of Frenkie De Jong. Recent reports claim that the 21-year-old midfielder was subject to two bids from the club but Ajax rejected them in a trice. (Manchester Evening News)
De Jong is one of the brightest talents in Dutch football right now. He recently started for the national team against France in the ongoing UEFA Nations league. Although Ronald Koeman’s side lost the game 2-1, De Jong impressed with his technique, maturity, dribbling and passing range.
De Jong was signed by Ajax in the early months of 2016 when he was just 18 years of age. Arriving from Willem II, it took him some time to settle down with the Eredivisie giants. The youngster made eight appearances during his first season at the club, one of them being against Manchester United in a Europa League final.
Last season, De Jong finally started to come into his own. The 21-year-old started 16 games in the Eredivisie and came off the bench six times. During the whole league campaign, De Jong made 1251 passes with an accuracy of 91%, completing 54 dribbles and providing 32 key passes for his teammates.
The one characteristic which makes any player a complete midfielder is their game awareness off the ball. And De Jong displayed that in abundance. He made 24 interceptions and 24 clearances, along with 22 successful tackles during his breakout season in the league.
The report also claims that De Jong is being tracked by other big clubs, namely Tottenham and Barcelona. So, Manchester City will face an uphill task in luring the player out of the Johan Cruyff Arena.
But it is a move that they must make. At 21, De Jong has to improve his game and take it to the next level. He has ample time to do that but playing under Under Pep Guardiola could help him develop further as a player and as a person. Ajax are believed to have slapped a price tag of around €50m on the player.
