Matthijs de Ligt: Frenkie de Jong hopes Barcelona sign ex-Ajax team-mate

New Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong says it is a childhood dream to join the Spanish club, and he hopes former Ajax team-mate Matthijs de Ligt will join him at the Nou Camp.

Barca agreed a deal for the Netherlands international in January and will pay an initial 75m euros (£67m).

De Jong, 22, said: "I'd like to see him [De Ligt] here, but I cannot decide.

"He has to make that decision with his family. When I saw Barca wanted me to play here, the decision was very easy."

Barca president Josep Bartomeu has said he knows where Dutch centre-back De Ligt, 19, would be playing next season, but could not say.

He refused to address Atletico Madrid's claims that the La Liga champions have been "disrespectful" in their pursuit of forward Antoine Griezmann.

Ajax bus displaying thank you message for Frenkie de Jong — Ajax hired a bus to thank Frenkie De Jong with the message "Barca, enjoy the future like we do"

Nearly 20,000 fans were at De Jong's unveiling on Friday, while his former club Ajax hired a bus and took out a full-page advert in a Spanish newspaper to wish him good luck.

The bus, featuring an image of De Jong, was driven through the Spanish city.

The message on the bus and in the newspaper reads: "Barca, enjoy the future like we do."

De Jong played 89 times for Ajax after joining from Willem II in 2015, and has seven caps for the Netherlands.

He was part of the Ajax side that won the domestic double and reached the Champions League semi-finals last season, before being beaten by eventual runners-up Tottenham.

Newspaper advert by Ajax thanking Frenkie de Jong

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41 comments

Comment posted by surfing seadog, at 20:33 5 Jul 2019
Ajax hire a bus for De Ligt eh? Can't Man U hire a taxi for Pogba?
Comment posted by therealronaldo, at 21:06 5 Jul 2019
Sean Paul is brokering the deals - “Just gimme De Ligt and pass De Jong”
Comment posted by D1710552872174, at 20:51 5 Jul 2019
"I know where he [de ligt] will be playing but I cannot say"
"I don't talk about other players"

Good one Barca president.
Comment posted by PandaCat, at 21:08 5 Jul 2019
I'd hire a catapult for Pogba - and give the bus money to a charity of De Jong's choosing.
Comment posted by This name is awaiting moderation, at 08:26 6 Jul 2019
Jose Mourinho is preparing for his next appointment by tendering a bid for the bus!
Comment posted by Georges, at 20:23 5 Jul 2019
Newcastle need a coach. After this weekend this will be free or they could go for Phil Neville.
I know which one I would go for.
Comment posted by D1710646088447, at 21:38 5 Jul 2019
He will succeed, has the right mentality and is modest. Above all great talent. Smart buy, Barca!
Comment posted by No Username, at 22:12 5 Jul 2019
I love what Ajax have done. What a club!
Comment posted by surfing seadog, at 23:13 5 Jul 2019
Catapult for Pogba! LOL!! Made me laugh that one pandacat. Thanks man.
Comment posted by This name is awaiting moderation, at 21:12 5 Jul 2019
When things are written on the sides of busses people always complain!
Comment posted by LuThe, at 10:12 6 Jul 2019
De Jong cost Ajax €1. (No, I said €1, not €1m.)

Helped them win Eredivisie, earn €50m+ from the CL. Now another €75m.

So, someone in Ajax's hierarchy in Amsterdam visited a coffee shop before deciding to write a thank you script for the side of a bus. Who can blame them? 100m times return on investment!

PS: that entire Ajax CL squad was assembled for €95m. Expensive by Ajax standards!
Comment posted by Roy of the Rovers, at 14:09 6 Jul 2019
So Man.Utd will have to pay 80M+ for Maguire but could pick up De Ligt for 60M? I know they want to make a statement about how they could afford anybody, but paying over the odds isn't the way to go about it.
Comment posted by Lelle Edenpalm, at 06:46 6 Jul 2019
After the two signings of little Phil and an unknown Frenchman Dembele, Barca now has made a clever one. De Jong will serve them for many years he is already world class player.
Comment posted by Davey Burns, at 12:52 6 Jul 2019
Touch of class from Ajax. DeJong is an excellent player.

man utd could follow suit and hire a bin lorry to display the names of their so called stars.

Alternatively, Lingard could feature them on his new clothing range.

😳
Comment posted by Adam, at 09:17 6 Jul 2019
Really misleading half thought out badly phrased slogan on the side of a bus. This would never happen in the UK.
Comment posted by OssieWaddledintoHoddlesVilla, at 10:28 6 Jul 2019
A different meaning to getting on the Jong bus.
Comment posted by Your Comment, at 09:04 6 Jul 2019
I’m assuming from this spending spree on young players that the famed La Messia academy isn’t producing any talent currently.
Comment posted by User0089664203, at 07:00 6 Jul 2019
G00d luck frenko
Comment posted by D1710626747853, at 01:00 6 Jul 2019
Bit OTT for a lad that barely played 90 games isn't it? I'd understand if he'd been there 10 years or so, or even if he was an academy lad they're nurtured from being a bairn, but they brought him in as an adult? Are they gonna do it for all players that leave now? Did Blind get one at United, before they sent him back anyway?

It doesn't even make sense, like we do? Like we may, or will. Not do
Comment posted by User0904579379, at 18:37 6 Jul 2019
@34 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz