Barcelona are set to make a third offer for Ajax starlet Frenkie de Jong, after two failed attempts. The versatile Dutch midfielder has earned plenty of interest from big clubs after his confident performances for the Amsterdam club last season.
The 21-year-old burst onto the scene last year and has been a regular for Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie. In 22 league appearances, he created 32 chances along with 25 key passes. In addition to that, he also supplied 7 assists despite playing in a defensive midfield position.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Barcelona target:
Age – 21
Main Position – Midfield (Central or defensive)
Nationality and current club – The Netherlands and Ajax Amsterdam
Frenkie de Jong predominantly plays in a slightly deeper midfield position but has the explosiveness to receive a pass and dribble past people to open up spaces. He has a take on/dribble rate of 2.5 per game (55 successful take on in 59 attempts). The opposition midfielders have to be careful when he is in possession since he can skip past them in a flash.
The 21-year-old’s game awareness and intelligence are truly commendable. He has a tackle and interception rate of 1.7 and 1.1 respectively, depicting his propensity to be a move-breaker in the midfield. Furthermore, the Dutchman is powerful enough to get the ball and start a counter-attack.
The youngster’s passing accuracy and creativity from the deep is something to admire. He has a pass success rate of 92%, which even the best ball-playing midfielders would be proud of. Also, he is a reliable player while in possession, losing the ball only 15 times in 22 games.
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Barcelona must replace Andres Iniesta with a reliable and dexterous midfielder. Although, de Jong still has a long way to go before mirroring the Spaniard, he has the required tools to be a Blaugrana great in the coming years.
The 21-year-old is a typical Dutch prodigy with attributes of the highest order and at such a tender age, he could dominate the La Liga next season. He possesses the hallmarks of being the next big thing in world football, making him a solid choice for Barcelona.
Stats Courtesy – Whoscored.com
