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What's the story?
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has revealed that he would have signed for Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain if he had not made the switch to the Catalan giants from Ajax.
In case you didn't know...
De Jong was on the transfer list of various European powerhouses, following his incredible performances for Ajax in the previous season. The midfielder played an influential role as the Dutch giants lifted the Eredivisie title and the KNVB Cup. He also shone on the continental stage as he helped the side reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona were quick to sign the Dutchman as they announced in January that the 22-year-old will be joining the Spanish champions at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
However, the Netherlands international has been criticised for his performances with the Blaugrana so far this season as the club have had a rough start to the campaign.
Barcelona are currently four points behind leaders Real Madrid, sitting at fifth place with 10 points from six outings.
The heart of the matter
Speaking to El Periodico, De Jong revealed that if he had not signed for Barcelona, either PSG or Manchester City would have been his likely destination. He said via The Mirror,
"If it had not been Barca, I find it hard to say it now, it would have been PSG or City."
When asked if he could have earned more at PSG, the Dutchman replied,
"It is not right to talk about [money]. Money was not my business. Money was never discussed in the meeting room with me. It was a matter for my agent."
The Dutch international added,
"The most important thing was the way [Barcelona] played and how they saw me, what plans they had for me. When [Barcelona] told me they saw me playing here, that they thought about this and that, then they really convinced me. I talked with my family and my agent and we chose Barca. Then my agent came here to negotiate."
What's next?
Barcelona are next scheduled to face Getafe in La Liga on Saturday.
