One leading member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona boasts a hugely troublesome relationship with club president Joan Laporta.
That’s according to Sport Newspaperwho point towards Frenkie de Jong as the player in question.
Midfielder De Jong, of course, is fresh off another summer which saw his name take its place front and centre in the headlines in Catalunya’s capital.
This came after the Dutchman was again hotly tipped for a Barcelona departure.
In the end, De Jong stayed put, expected to play a pivotal role under the watch of new head coach Hansi Flick upon his return to fitness.
Safe to say, however, that one individual who would have been altogether more happy if a transfer had come to fruition for the former Ajax man, is Joan Laporta.
As per a report from the aforementioned Sport:
‘De Jong has a terrible relationship with Laporta because he has always wanted to sell him.’
Not only that, but it is added that:
‘The Dutchman believes that the president has never been kind to him because he was a signing of the former president and because he does not have a friendly agent.’
De Jong, as a result, has essentially closed the door on the Camp Nou boardroom, unwilling to even listen to the club’s requests for him to consider an exit over the summer.
Conor Laird | GSFN