Frenkie de Jong revealed that he had indeed considered leaving Barcelona in recent years due to the financial pressures the club was facing and attempts to sell him. However, he affirmed that his primary desire was always to continue with the Catalan team as long as he felt important within the sports project.

In a lengthy interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, the Dutch star said that he sometimes wondered, "What should I do?" However, he emphasized that he sees no reason to leave as long as Barcelona is competing for major titles and he is able to play as a starter and make a difference.

De Jong spoke about his long journey with Barcelona, which actually began years before he joined, when he visited the city in 2015 with his current wife, Mikky, during the Dutch league's winter break. They attended a match at "Camp Nou" where he watched the trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez lead Barcelona to victory over Real Betis. He explained that that night remained etched in his memory, especially after witnessing Messi score in his 500th match with the club, before later becoming his teammate within the team.

The Dutch midfielder noted that he is experiencing one of his best periods with Barcelona, having become the most capped Dutch player in the club's history with 293 matches, surpassing Phillip Cocu's record. He is also close to winning his third La Liga title in his career.

He confirmed that the initial years were not easy following the departure of many stars after the COVID-19 period, explaining that the team needed time and the addition of some new elements to strongly compete again in local and European championships.

De Jong also touched on the difficult period when he faced widespread media criticism due to leaks related to his contract and salaries, affirming that many of the figures published were not accurate. However, he felt that the public's perception of him changed because of the way the media handled the story. He added that media comments significantly affect how fans evaluate players, considering that some journalists and public relations have a clear influence in shaping the image of players within the world of football.

De Jong returned to discuss his severe ankle injury two years ago during the Clasico against Real Madrid, which sidelined him for more than five months and prevented him from participating in Euro 2024 with the Dutch national team. He admitted that the fear of not fully recovering occasionally haunted him, especially when he felt any slight discomfort, but he gradually overcame that phase.

He emphasized that his absence from the Euros increased his desire to shine in the upcoming World Cup, noting that the current generation of the Dutch national team has great potential and only needs to transform into a team capable of winning titles.