Frenkie de Jong has turned Louis van Gaal from doubter to believer ahead of his transfer to Manchester United.
Following weeks of speculation, the 25-year-old now wants to join the Red Devils and has given them the green light to advance negotiations with Barcelona, according to reports. De Jong's decision would end his three-year spell at the Camp Nou, having joined the LaLiga giants for around £65million.
There was little debate surrounding the move back in 2019, but Van Gaal remained sceptical when rating the midfielder's chances of making it at his former club, believing that De Jong "could have chosen better" when leaving Ajax.
"I think it will be difficult for him there," the veteran coach told Fox Sports, via Marca. "Not only because he'll have a different role there, but because he'll be competing with others to make the starting eleven. He's lucky that Barcelona were knocked out in the semi-finals [of the Champions League] because the status of the club is different and there will be different players. In my opinion, he could have chosen better."
Van Gaal has since changed his tune, however, now working up close and personal with the United target as manager of the Dutch national team. While Barcelona are believed to be willing to negotiate around the same figure they paid for De Jong, the Netherlands boss reckons his price should be closer to what the CIES Football Observatory value him at - a whopping £95.3m.
Having guided the Oranjes to a dramatic 2-1 win against Wales in the Nations League on Wednesday, Van Gaal declared: "Frenkie de Jong does bring an extra quality, of course. That is why he is also worth €112million."
The lofty estimation proves that the former Ajax star has indeed thrived in Catalonia and significantly boosted his value, allaying his international gaffer's fears. Van Gaal had also warned De Jong over the competition for places in Barcelona's midfield, adding: "De Jong is a very good player, but so is Ivan Rakitic. And five years ago when I was at Manchester United, I wanted to sign Arturo Vidal."
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Within a year of his arrival, though, both Rakitic and Vidal departed. De Jong has rarely missed a game under four different managers, operating in multiple positions and adapting to a variety of systems, particularly excelling at centre-back for Ronald Koeman.
But after 140 games as a Blaugrana player, Erik ten Hag - the man who guided him to superstar status in Amsterdam - looks set to be successful in prising him away from the Camp Nou. The pair have maintained a healthy relationship since their separation and look set to reunite at Old Trafford this summer.
