“Frenkie de Jong rebuffed Manchester United!” The mainstream global sports media were abuzz with such headlines for quite some time.
If you still don’t know what happened and the reason for the refusal, this post is just for you. You’ll also find out where the outstanding midfielder plays now and how to download the Bangbet app free of charge in Kenya to bet on games featuring him.
Who Is Frenkie de Jong?
Frenkie de Jong is a 26-year-old soccer player from the Netherlands. Willem II was the starting point of his career, and Ajax was the club to unleash his talent.
Frenkie was awarded the Talent of the Season of the 2016–17 Eerste Divisie — the Dutch First Division. In December 2018 and February 2019, he was named the Player of the Month of the Eredivisie — the national Premier Division.
By and large, the 2018-19 season became a landmark in his career. Thanks to his incredible technique and performance, de Jong led Ajax to their first Champions League semi-final appearance since 1997.
During the 2019 transfer season, the player was in high demand, with clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Barcelona all wanting him. He opted for the latter.
As part of the team, de Jong was instrumental in the 2020-21 Copa del Rey victory. In 2023, he became one of Barça’s four captains.
Frenkie de Jong Transfer
With his virtuoso ball possession and diverse set of abilities, including both defensive and offensive skills, Frenkie de Jong has always been a target for high-caliber clubs.
It was, therefore, completely unsurprising that as soon as the transfer window opened in the summer of 2022, Manchester United set about agreeing a deal to acquire the Barcelona midfielder.
The pursuit of de Jong was no fluke for the Red Devils. Man Utd’s manager Erik ten Hag, Ajax’s coach in the past, knew what Frenkie was capable of. Thus, ten Hag saw his former player as a perfect fit to reinforce the midfield.
The negotiations stood a chance of succeeding. Barcelona was also interested in the deal and seemed to agree on a sum. But… the transfer never occurred.
Why the Transfer Failed
In any transfer, the player always has the last word. And de Jong said no. But why exactly?
According to Frenkie, leaving Barcelona was not part of his plans. He wasn’t even facing the question of whether to stay at the club or leave it.
De Jong’s aspiration to prove himself to his full potential in the Champions League was considered the main reason for remaining with the Spanish team. Man Utd could only offer him the Europa League at the time, which didn’t sit well with him.
However, according to insider information, major sports media named other reasons for the midfielder’s rejection to join the English club. Among them:
Personal Preference
With all due respect to Manchester United, it was Barcelona that was Frenkie’s long-cherished dream. On top of that, he got hooked on the Spanish city, where he settled down buying a house.
Financial Interest
The player was not ready to give up the impressive salary he received at Barça. In addition, the club owed him a tidy sum temporarily withheld by mutual agreement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Playing Under Xavi
Xavier Hernández and Frenkie de Jong certainly match. The Barcelona manager had big hopes for the Dutchman from the start, highly praising his talent. In turn, de Jong strived to do his best under Xavi’s guidance.
Where De Jong Ended Up
Frenkie refused to move to United from Barça mostly because of the opportunity to play in the Champions League.
Ironically, however, Barcelona crashed out of the group stage of the elite club competition. Bad luck intruded again when the player found himself on the bench during the Europa League.
As of today, Frenkie de Jong remains in the Barcelona squad and has no intention of changing his location just yet. He also plays for the Netherlands national football team.
The club with Xavi at the helm treasures the footballer, and it’s mutual. So, for now, you can enjoy watching one of the world’s top midfielders in the lineup of the current La Liga winners.
Where to Back up de Jong
If you are a Kenyan fan of the Dutch celebrity and confident in his ability to lead the team to victory, you can always back your favorite with a bet.
If you want to gamble and be sure of the integrity of the betting operator, you can use the Bangbet platform. It is owned by Rabow Co. Limited, which acts under license 0000208.
Bangbet offers a bunch of sports, with soccer being their specialty. The bookmaker provides global events from the most prominent leagues.
For instance, you can bet on the 2023-24 La Liga matches. Especially since Frenkie de Jong is announced in the official Barcelona lineup.
For ease of use, the Bangbet platform is accessible as a free mobile app. To download it,
- go to https://www.bangbet.com/,
- open the menu and tap the app icon,
- allow download and installation,
- create an account and go ahead!
A Wrap-up
Although the move of Frenkie de Jong, a distinguished soccer player, to Man United was possible, it did not materialize. And there was a confident and weighed decision by the midfielder behind the rejection.
So in case you are among de Jong’s admirers, you should keep track of Barça’s games so far and bet on the Spanish titans if the prediction is favorable.