A day has passed since the announcement of The Dutch midfielder to Barca. However, De Jong spoke about his decision to Voetball, revealing on interview the secrets he has been keeping over the past few weeks. Here’s a translation of the full interview.
On PSG and Manchester City
“PSG were one of the best options for me. The club, the team, the coach impressed me. They gave me the chance to play consistency and Ligue 1 could be an advantage, there is still time to grow. I went to Manchester and Paris and spoke to Tuchel and Guardiola.”
The final Decision of De Jong
“I was a bit doubtful because I thought ‘they have so many midfielders that it’s hard work to earn a spot’. But Barca gave me the right feeling. There are no guarantees but my chances are positive.”
“My choice is not a decision against those clubs but in favor of Barcelona. The challenge is huge. Regarding France I didn’t have the feeling that I wanted to play there for 10 years.”
“Barça see me as able to play in the 3 midfield positions, but in the short term more in the Busi’s role. He’s the best midfielder in the world and will play a few more years, so I’m not getting too excited. I’m going to Barça to try and be a starter, but it’s too soon to talk about that now. Right now I want to learn the language as fast as possible. If it doesn’t work, I’ll try somewhere else. I’m only 21 and I have to keep growing.”
“If you play at Barca and succeed there, you never have to leave. You play at the biggest club in the world and it’s beautiful. It’s a top level climate, with one of the best team’s in the world.”
