Former Barcelona star Ronald de Boer is tipping Frenkie de Jong for big things, and believes that Lionel Messi is going to love playing alongside him.
As noted by BBC Sport, the 21-year-old has reportedly sealed a summer move to the Nou Camp worth €75m+, as the Catalan giants evidently believe that he can be a major part of their long-term future.
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Time will tell if that’s the case, as although the talented youngster looks a perfect fit for them with his style of play and technical quality in mind, that’s a lot of pressure to deal with to ensure that he meets expectations.
Nevertheless, De Boer doesn’t appear to have too many doubts over his ability to prove his worth, as he believes his compatriot will certainly be a popular teammate for Messi as he looks to conduct things behind the Argentine icon and help create chances for him.
“De Jong has the DNA of Ajax, which is almost the same as that of Barça,” he is quoted as saying by Sport. “He is intelligent, always has good ideas and never plays without thinking. Messi is going to fall in love with De Jong.”
With over 60 senior appearances for Ajax under his belt already along with five caps for the Netherlands, De Jong certainly appears to have a very bright future ahead of him for club and country.
He’ll look to integrate into the squad this summer, and being able to fit into the side and ensure that Messi can continue to be as brilliantly decisive as he has been for many years now will be a crucial factor.
He certainly appears to have the characteristics to do so, but time will tell if he can produce on the pitch to ensure that De Boer’s prediction becomes a reality.
