Frenkie De Jong won't be allowed to join Barcelona until next season

Frenkie De Jong won't be allowed to join Barcelona until next season

Frenkie De Jong jugará un año más defendiendo la camiseta del Ajax
Frenkie De Jong jugará un año más defendiendo la camiseta del Ajax | EFE

Frenkie De Jong, a FC Barcelona target, won't be leaving the club this summer but could be available next season

It appears if the future of Frenkie De Jong, the Ajax midfielder wanted by FC Barcelona, is more or less decided. A few days ago, SPORT revealed that a potential deal was entering its crucial stage with Ajax set to make a final decision on what they were going to do.

Barcelona were hopeful that should Ajax fail to qualify for the Champions League group stages, the midfielder would be allowed to leave the club before the transfer window closed. However those hopes were dashed after Ajax beat Dynamo Kyiv 3-1 in the first leg.

With that first leg result, although they still need to travel to the Ukraine next week, the Dutch giants are confident they'll be in Europe's premier competition this season. After three failed attempts to make the group stage, it now appears as if it'll be fourth time lucky.

In saying that, following the match on Wednesday, De Jong gave an interview to journalist Marcelo Bechler in which he confirmed his short term future was him staying at Ajax for another season. "Even though a move to Barça would be a huge leap forward in my career."

Barça are still hopeful that should Ajax collapse in their second leg match against Dynamo, a move to the Camp Nou might still happen. However the club is aware a move is unlikely at this point but they do intend to make another bid in the summer of 2019.