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Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong's performances have been subpar by his standards over the last couple of weeks. Former Blaugrana defender Frank de Boer has observed that the 24-year-old appears to be a bit lost at Camp Nou.
Frenkie de Jong got one over his critics by scoring for the Catalan giants against Alaves last weekend. De Boer believes he remains a great player for the club. The 51-year-old, however, admits the midfielder isn't playing with the same energy he is known for.
The former Dutch superstar was quoted as saying in an interview with El Pais, via Marca:
"He [Frenkie de Jong] is still a great player for Barca. But right now, when I see him move on the pitch, he gives me the impression that he does it very shyly. He doesn't show the energy that he normally has. He seems a bit lost. He doesn't look happy."
De Boar went ahead and attributed his countryman's struggles to the managerial crisis at Barca which has seen the Blaugrana change three managers in just two years. He also cited the continuous presence of Sergio Busquets in Barcelona's pivot role as a contributing factor. He said:
"The continuous change of coaches could have affected him. In addition to the fact that Busquets continues to be a starter in midfield, his best position. It's a role he can play very well because he's capable of defending very well. He's fast, tall to win aerial duels, he covers a lot of space."
Frenkie de Jong linked with Barcelona exit
The midfielder has been linked with a departure from Camp Nou over the last few weeks. According to The Sun, the Catalan giants are open to selling the Frenkie de Jong as they aim to raise funds for their transfer plans.
The likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United have been rumored to be keeping a close eye on the player's situation at Camp Nou. It remains to be seen if Frenkie de Jong moves to another club in January.
