Frenkie de Jong has opened up about how he learned about Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona during the summer transfer window just gone. The Argentine left for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after it became evident that Barcelona couldn’t afford to renew his contract even with a 50% salary reduction.
“First of all, I thought it wasn’t true,” Frenkie told The Guardian in comments carried by Mundo Deportivo. “I was picking up my dad and brother from the airport and then a message came to me saying that Messi was leaving Barcelona. A little later we got hints that it was really happening. At first you can’t believe it, even though there had been rumours all summer. But I had never taken them seriously so what happened was a shock.”
Messi has struggled to hit his usual heights since moving to Paris but is still contributing at an elite level. The Argentine has contributed two goals and eight assists in Ligue 1 so far this season as well as five goals in the Champions League.
But it’s Kylian Mbappe that’s centre stage at the Parc des Princes. The Frenchman has stepped up this season despite the presence of Messi and Neymar Junior to become the team’s undisputed main man. On Tuesday evening he scored the winning goal as PSG beat Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg.
