Barcelona legend Xavi has this weekend named the member of Hansi Flick’s current Blaugrana squad whom he feels is most underrated.
The player in question? Frenkie de Jong.
Dutch international De Jong has for his part continued to play a leading role for Barcelona across the season to date.
When fit, the former Ajax man has formed one half of the Catalans’ first-choice midfield pairing, alongside Pedri.
For the most part, De Jong has performed at a high level across his appearances, showcasing trademark poise and technique in possession, and stellar work rate out of it.
And yet, as has proven the case throughout his Camp Nou career, the 28-year-old has come in for regular criticism on the part of sections of the Barcelona fanbase.
Speaking during an interview with Marca late this week, the aforementioned Xavi was therefore quick to highlight his appreciation for De Jong’s talents:
“Frenkie de Jong for me is very underrated. I think he’s a footballer similar to what I was like.”
Conor Laird – GSFN
