De Jong: I am satisfied with the current situation and do not need to go to the Premier League to prove myself

Since joining Barcelona in 2019, De Jong is experiencing the peak period of his career and has renewed his contract with Barcelona until 2029. During the latest national team training camp, De Jong accepted an interview with ESPN and reviewed his status, contract extension and future plans.

De Jong explained that the decision to renew his contract with Barcelona until 2029 was made after a long period of thinking. During this period, his body and competitive condition have recovered significantly: "I sprained my ankle at the beginning of last year. At that time, I hoped to see my condition first. We will decide whether to renew the contract based on the recovery situation. From a strategic point of view, it is not wise to extend the contract when the situation is good. It is better to do it when the situation is good, but I always wanted to stay here when I first signed for Barcelona. I hoped to stay with the team for ten or twelve years. , Now it seems that this goal may really be achieved."

De Jong has played 270 official games for Barcelona. He said that he has fully integrated into this city and this club: "I have been in Barcelona for a while and I feel very comfortable. We are very happy here as a family. Looking at the current lineup and the team, the future of Barcelona is very bright, so extending the contract is a natural choice and I am very happy to stay here."

About. Whether he needs to go to the Premier League to prove his strength, De Jong said there is no need: "I really don't think there is a need to go to the Premier League to prove anything. There have indeed been invitations from some Premier League teams, but I am very satisfied with the current situation. The Premier League is undoubtedly the best league in the world today, just like La Liga 10 years ago. But it does not mean that you have to play there to prove that you are a top player." He once told me that many English players dream of joining a club like Barcelona or Real Madrid. For me, this is my dream since childhood."

Finally, De Jong talked about the young Dutch talent Keith Mutt and suggested that the outside world should not put too much pressure on him: "I've seen him play and he's really talented. But I don't think it's wise to talk too much about him now. High expectations won't help him. He's a talented player who could be very good in the future, but we should let him grow quietly."