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What's the story?
Barcelona's newest recruit Frenkie de Jong has revealed that he initially wanted a 'dream' move to Premier League side, Arsenal before deciding to sign for the Catalan giants.
In case you didn't know
De Jong completed a £65 million move to Barcelona back in January after having impressed with his scintillating performances for Ajax in the Eredivisie and the UEFA Champions League.
The 22-year-old played a pivotal role in Ajax's journey to their 34th Eredivisie title win and their KNVB Cup victory. He won more hearts as the Dutch outfit terrorised European powerhouses like Real Madrid and Juventus in the Champions League.
Ajax ultimately saw an end to their remarkable European campaign when they succumbed to defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the competition.
The heart of the matter
De Jong has now made a shocking revelation regarding his transfer plans, stating that he was initially keen on a move to Arsenal before a switch to Barcelona to follow in the footsteps of Marc Overmars.
Overmars, who is Ajax's current sporting director, played for the Dutch titans before a switch to Arsenal. At the Emirates, he won the double under Arsene Wenger before moving to Barcelona.
Speaking in an interview with Voetbal International, he said, “In my mind, I have had the following list for a long time: Ajax - Arsenal - Barcelona, call it the Marc Overmars route. But yes, if you can go directly to Barcelona, then you are right where you want to be. Faster than you ever dared to dream.”
What's next?
Arsenal are currently looking to strengthen their squad with a reduced transfer budget, and the news will come as a missed opportunity for the Gunners who let Aaron Ramsey leave on a free transfer to Juventus at the end of last season.
Meanwhile, De Jong will likely feature in Barcelona's club friendly against Chelsea on July 23.
