One headline member of the first-team ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona will no doubt be overjoyed by news of head coach Xavi coming to the decision to stay put.
This comes with as much also likely to boost his own chances of remaining a Barcelona player next season.
The individual in question? Frenkie de Jong.
Midfielder De Jong, for his part, has of course been hotly tipped for a departure from Catalunya’s capital this coming summer.
Amid ongoing efforts to raise much-needed funds through the transfer market, the Barca brass are understood to have earmarked the former Ajax man as a leading candidate to be shipped off.
De Jong himself, however, has long made clear his only intention – to stay put.
And, as alluded to above, if the latest word stemming from the media late on Wednesday is anything to go by, the Dutchman’s prospects when it comes to precisely that have come in for a timely boost.
As revealed by Diario Sport just 24 hours ago:
‘Frenkie de Jong wants to continue at Barça and Xavi wants him in his project if the coach finally agrees to continue beyond June 30.’
With Xavi’s continuity for the 2024/25 campaign having tonight been widely confirmed, De Jong, in turn, looks set to have his Blaugrana-shaped wish granted.
Conor Laird | GSFN
