Ajax Sporting Director Marc Overmars Rules Out Departure of Spurs & Barcelona Target Frenkie de Jong

Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars has revealed that Barcelona's offer for Frenkie de Jong this summer fell short of Ajax's valuation, and ruled out a January

Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars has revealed that Barcelona's offer for Frenkie de Jong this summer fell short of Ajax's valuation, and ruled out a January exit for the youngster.

De Jong has emerged as one of Ajax's brightest prospects in recent years and, alongside the offer from Barcelona, has been attracting serious interest from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. His impressive performances have also seen him handed his debut for the Netherlands, and now de Jong is unquestionably one of the Eredivisie's hottest talents.

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Overmars was asked about Barcelona's interest in de Jong by Spanish outlet Sport, who quote Overmars as saying: "Barca did not value de Jong, the offer did not correspond to Frenkie's qualities.

"They could come back for Frenkie in January but our players will not leave during this period."

Ajax are well known for developing some fantastic young players, and have proven that they are willing to sell their star players to Europe's elite once they receive a satisfactory offer. However, Overmars' comments suggest that they will not entertain any offers when the winter transfer window opens in January.

The report from Sport analyses Barcelona's interest in de Jong, revealing that he is seen as a potential successor to Sergio Busquets in the heart of the midfield. He possesses similar qualities to the Spaniard, but is more of a threat in attack than Busquets.

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He is also incredibly comfortable playing in the heart of his team's defence, and his versatility is believed to be a major reason behind Barcelona's interest in the 21-year-old.

Mauricio Pochettino is also believed to be keen on de Jong's versatility as he has the potential to replace Mousa Dembele, who has entered the final year of his contract and has been heavily linked with a move away from the club.