De Jong reveals he cut off press and never considered joining Manchester United

Frenkie de Jong has revealed he severed ties with the media after growing furious at relentless speculation linking him to Manchester United, insisting he never genuinely considered leaving Barcelona for Old Trafford.

The Dutch midfielder, now 29, has been at the Catalan club since 2019 and has won three La Liga titles during that time. Despite his importance to Barcelona’s midfield, he was persistently touted as a transfer target for United — particularly under Erik ten Hag, who had worked with De Jong at Ajax during the 2018/19 season and viewed him as an ideal signing.

Speaking to SPORT ahead of the Netherlands’ World Cup 2026 preparations in North America, De Jong broke a lengthy media silence to explain why he had stopped engaging with journalists altogether. “There was a time when they pressured me to leave the club, and there came a point when I was very angry and didn’t want to talk anymore,” he said. “People only hear opinions or things through the press and newspapers, and they don’t listen to you.”

De Jong acknowledged that Barcelona’s significant financial difficulties in 2023 fuelled the uncertainty around his future, with some figures inside the club willing to accept bids for him even after he had made his intentions clear. “I always said no. So there was no option,” he explained. “What happened that summer is that, even though I said no, some teams came to the club and offered money for me. And within Barca — not everyone, but some people — thought they were good offers and wanted to sell me.”

While De Jong admitted the sustained pressure did briefly force doubts into his mind, he was emphatic that a move to United was never a real possibility. “That summer I was very clear that I didn’t want to leave,” he said. “But of course, something always crosses your mind when you’re under pressure or when there’s a situation like that.”

The speculation has since been put to rest. De Jong extended his contract with Barcelona until 2029 earlier this season, drawing a definitive line under years of rumour. His comments mark the first time he has spoken openly about the episode, framing his media withdrawal as a mistake he now reflects on with some regret — while leaving no doubt that his loyalty to Barcelona never wavered.