‘People like to exaggerate’ – Barcelona star admits ‘this wasn’t my best season’ | OneFootball

A member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona has this week revealed his take that his performances this past season were not quite as impressive as some claimed.

De Jong is for his part fresh off something of a bounce-back campaign in 2024/25, which saw the former Ajax man reestablish himself as a key figure at Barcelona.

Under the watch of new boss Hansi Flick, the 28-year-old shone from his berth at the base of the Blaugrana engine room, striking up a brilliant partnership with Pedri.

Such efforts culminated in talks being kicked back into gear over renewing De Jong’s contract terms – due to expire in 12 months’ time.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the Dutchman was therefore inevitably asked for an update on these discussions.

And during an interview with Voetbal International, as cited by Mundo Deportivo, De Jong went on to confirm:

“I want it and so does the club, so an agreement is usually reached. I hope it’s soon.”

Shifting focus to his performance level this past season, meanwhile, the all-action midfielder was somewhat self-critical, in responding:

“This wasn’t my best year. People like to exaggerate. Of course, I was out for a while with that ankle injury, but I played well before that too. The big difference is that we have a better team now, and it shows. Personally, I even think I was in my best form the season before my injury. But yes, when you win all the titles in Spain in one year and reach the Champions League semi-finals, they simply highlight you a lot more.”

Conor Laird – GSFN