Dutch star Frenkie de Jong expressed his great happiness at renewing his contract with FC Barcelona until 2029, confirming that he never thought about leaving despite the pressures the club faced in previous periods.

De Jong said in his statements: "I have always been clear about my desire to stay at Barcelona, I am happy here with the team and playing for this club. There was a period when there was more pressure, and there were some individuals within the club who wanted to sell me to raise money. I understood that because the club was going through difficult financial circumstances, but I was confident that I would continue because I really wanted to stay."

He added: "I knew that if I performed well, I would play, and that’s why I never felt afraid. When you have a contract and decide to stay, you simply stay."

Regarding the possibility of a situation like the Ter Stegen case, De Jong clarified: "Sometimes things can get complicated. If I were in good shape and the coach didn’t give me the opportunity, I would have left because I always want to play football."

On his relationship with the media, the Dutch player said: "I don’t want to be someone who relies on the press to beautify my image. I don’t want to make friends with the media so they always say good things about me. If I play poorly, let them say that, and if I play well, let them say that too."

De Jong revealed a special moment he shared with Argentine star Lionel Messi, saying: "It is true that many of my teammates and coaches said that I am one of the most underrated players. Messi came to me one day during breakfast and said, 'You are a great player.' I don’t like to talk much about that because Messi doesn’t like private conversations to be revealed."

De Jong spoke about his assessment of his performance on the pitch, saying: "It is difficult to evaluate myself because I don’t score many goals and I don’t provide many assists. People now care a lot about numbers, but I possess the ball and keep it more than others, and sometimes I play with one or two touches depending on the situation."

In response to criticisms that the Barcelona dressing room lacks personality, De Jong said: "Some think that a leader is someone who shouts a lot or reprimands his teammates, but a true leader is one who adheres to his values and sincerely helps others. You don’t need to shout to be a leader because if you shout too much, people will stop listening to you. The real intelligence is knowing when to speak."

De Jong concluded his remarks by praising his German coach Hans Flick, affirming his great confidence in his approach: "Flick has a strong personality and very clear ideas. He is close to the players and kind, but he is also strict; if you don’t do what is asked of you, you won’t play. Tactically, we have to implement his ideas because they resemble Barcelona’s style, but he gives us freedom within the system to showcase our abilities. There is freedom, but also tactical discipline, and that’s what makes Barcelona an enjoyable team."