I tried this last year with Jack Grealish to no success. But never one to shy away from failure, I am here to try my hand again at speaking a transfer into existence for Arsenal. This time it's with one of my favorite players, Frenkie De Jong.
Welcome back to Far-Fetched Friday, where every Friday we give you a bold prediction that we believe will come to fruition. This Friday, we look at a Dutch midfielder.
I don't know what's happening in Barcelona, but they seem to be paying for transfers with monopoly money, lay-away deals, food stamps, and I-owe-you-ones. Last summer, they announced to the world that they had to let club legend Lionel Messi go for free because of a grave financial status that needed radical change. Fast forward a year later, they still haven't resolved those issues, yet they've been one of the biggest spenders in Europe.
It's led to some questions, and to cover their tracks, they're pushing some very talented players unceremoniously out the door. 25-year-old Dutch superstar, Frenkie de Jong, is one of those stars. Manchester United tried to exploit this situation, but he turned the club down, Chelsea might be favorites at the moment, but it's been a disappointing summer transfer window for the club. And there are other names like PSG in the fold, but none of those rumors have gained traction.
So why Arsenal? Arsenal because De Jong is a self-admitted fan of the club, and he perfectly fits the club's current profile. Unprovoked, back in 2019, when he signed for Barcelona, De Jong proclaimed that his dream career path was to go from Ajax to Arsenal and then Barcelona. He skipped the Arsenal part of his journey, but if there was ever a time to join the club, it is now.
Frenkie de Jong is world class. That’s the tweet 👍🏻. pic.twitter.com/9HzryMgKGK
— Sara 🦋 (@SaraFCBi) August 7, 2022
Arsenal needs De Jong now more than ever. Despite their youth, the club is probably one more star away from becoming one of the best in Europe. Last season, Arsenal were the youngest squad in the league, and they supplemented that by signing two 25-year-old starters, Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, who have gotten off to great starts at the club. And when you look at the Arsenal starting line-up from the opening day of the premier league, Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, at 29 years old each, were the only two starters over the age of 25. Incidentally, they both occupy positions that suit De Jong to a tee. Whether in Xhaka's role as a box-to-box midfielder or Partey's position as a directing holding midfielder pulling strings for the boys.
If Arsenal sign Frenkie De Jong, it could arguably go down as the greatest window in the club's history. And while I know the club is far more likely to sign another 25 year old midfielder with plenty of international experience in Youri Tielemans, who would also be excellent, it doesn't hurt to dream and wish.
Frenkie De Jong to Arsenal. You heard it here first.
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