Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are both eager for Barcelona star to join them at PSG: Reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are both reportedly looking forward to Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong playing alongside them at the Parc des Princes in the near future.
De Jong, 25, has been one of the most sought-after midfielders in the world since the start of the summer transfer window. Despite Barcelona's wish to offload him to help balance their books, the 50-cap Netherlands international decided against securing a summer switch.
A right-footed press-resistant central operator, De Jong has cemented himself as a crucial first-team starter at Camp Nou in the past couple of months. He has scored two goals and laid out one assist in 18 appearances across all competitions for the Blaugrana this campaign.
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According to Le Parisien, Mbappe has expressed his desire to team up with De Jong at PSG to his club's bosses. Messi is also keen to reunite with his former Barcelona teammate, as per Sport Mediaset.
However, a move to PSG might not be guaranteed, with De Jong shedding some light on his future in the Prime Video documentary – FC Barcelona: A New Era. He elaborated:
"I see myself playing here for a long time, I don't care about rumors and nobody from the club has told me anything. To be honest, I don't see it coming, but if it does, I would be very disappointed."
Blaugrana president Joan Laporta has also asserted that De Jong is currently not for sale. Earlier this week, he told BarçaTV:
"About De Jong, I admit there were clubs interested in buying him last summer, but he was not for sale and he won't be. De Jong is a very appealing footballer, we know that, but I insist he's not for sale. No matter what can be discussed in internal meetings, there's a club opinion above everything else."
De Jong, who arrived from Ajax for an initial fee of €75 million in 2019, has scored 15 goals and contributed 19 assists in 158 overall matches for the Catalan giants. He has also helped his side lift the 2020-21 Copa del Rey trophy with Messi as his club captain at that point.
Laporta: "Pushing for wage cuts on players like Frenkie de Jong and Ter Stegen? We will not do anything with the inherited contracts. We will respect them." https://t.co/QXgBLJsicq
Barcelona chief claims ex-Lionel Messi teammate is not for sale amid PSG rumors
Speaking to BarçaTV, Joan Laporta stated that Barcelona ace Ousmane Dembele is not for sale at the moment. He elaborated:
"He's not for sale. We'll talk about contract extension when the time comes. He's one of the most important players in the team. He feels he's important. He's one of our big guns. He's as quick as lightning. He's not for sale, not even for €70 million."
Dembele is a highly sought-after winger who has been a fixture in the Barcelona line-up for manager Xavi. The 25-year-old Frenchman has four goals and five assists to his name in 15 league matches and has created an impressive 32 chances this season. Earlier this year, Dembele extended his contract with the Catalan club until 2024.
According to SPORT, PSG have identified Dembele as a replacement for Neymar due to his playing style and his relationship with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi. However, Barcelona's rumored €100 million price tag for the Frenchman is expected to be a roadblock for PSG.