Barcelona agree deal to sign Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong from Ajax

On 17 January 2019, Barcelona announced an agreement with Ajax to sign Frenkie de Jong, a 21-year-old Dutch midfielder. The fee was reported at about 75 million euros, with further add-ons depending on performance. He was to join the Spanish club in the summer of 2019 and stay on at Ajax until then.

De Jong had come through Ajax's youth system and had become one of the most admired young midfielders in Europe. His composure on the ball and his ability to carry it out of defence drew interest from several leading clubs, and Barcelona won the race for him. He was also a key player in an Ajax side that went on to reach the Champions League semi-finals that season.

The deal mattered because Barcelona saw him as a long-term successor to ageing midfielders such as Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic. His Dutch background and Ajax's youth-school philosophy also matched the club's own tradition under Johan Cruyff. It began a relationship that later included disputes with the board over finances and wages.