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What's the story?
Barcelona-bound star Frenkie de Jong hopes that Matthijs de Ligt will join him at the Nou Camp but has insisted that he won't influence de Ligt's decision.
In case you didn't know...
Barcelona secured the services of Ajax prodigy de Jong for €75m in the January transfer window, with the midfielder set to arrive before the start of 2019/20 season. It is well known that the Blaugrana hierarchy are also willing to spend huge to secure the services of de Ligt.
Both de Jong and de Ligt are products of the famed Ajax academy which is known to produce future greats in almost every generation. Ajax won the domestic double in the recently concluded campaign and they also enjoyed a sensational run in the Champions League. It goes without saying de Jong and de Ligt played pivotal roles in their success.
Both these stars showcased their calibre at the biggest stages, helping Ajax and Netherlands dominate their opponents. They have also played a vital role in the revival of Netherlands, helping the Dutch reach the finals of UEFA Nations League. Netherlands defeated England 3-1 last night in the semi-final stages of the competition.
The heart of the matter
Like de Jong, the 19-year-old Ajax captain has the task of choosing between multiple options as top clubs across Europe try to secure him. De Jong hopes that they will continue playing together at Barcelona next season.
Speaking in an interview, de Jong said,
"I hope de Ligt will come with me to Barça, I hope so,"
"Of course we have talked about his future, but I am clear that it is a matter that he and his family must decide."
"What I can not do is influence his decision. It is something that he must resolve in the next few days with his own. He knows what I would like."
What's next?
Both de Ligt and de Jong are set to feature in the Nations League finals, where they face Portugal on 10th June.
