Manchester United went all in to try and sign Frenkie de Jong during Erik ten Hag’s first summer at the club.
A deal was even struck between Manchester United and Barcelona for the midfielder’s signature, but he chose not to make the switch.
Frenkie de Jong insisted on staying at Barcelona to fight for his place, rather than rejoin his former Ajax boss at Old Trafford.
He ended up getting knocked out of the Europa League the following season by Manchester United.
But if he had the last laugh last season by winning La Liga, the 2023/24 campaign has not gone at all well for the Dutchman.
Frenkie de Jong out of Euro 2024
Frenkie de Jong’s tough 2023/24 campaign has just had a nightmare ending after he was ruled out of the Euro 2024 tournament, days before it kicks off.
De Jong sustained an ankle injury in March and has been fighting to try and get fit for the European Championships, returning for Barcelona briefly in April before missing the end of the season.
Dutch boss Ronald Koeman named him in the Netherlands preliminary squad, and he had been training with the team, but he has now lost his fitness battle.
BBC Sport report De Jong has been ruled out of Euro 2024, capping a poor season in which Barcelona relinquished their title to Real Madrid and failed to win a trophy.
Donny van de Beek shows support
Frenkie de Jong wished the Netherlands squad well on social media and urged the team to go and win the tournament without him.
He received well-wishes from teammates past and present, including his former Ajax colleague Donny van de Beek.
Donny van de Beek is not part of the Dutch squad for the Euros, he has not been part of the Netherlands side since March 2021.
Louis van Gaal left him out subsequently because he was not playing for his club, and his struggles at Manchester United dictated that he was not called up again since.
Van de Beek did have a chance earlier this year for a fresh start, on loan at German side Eintracht Frankfurt, but it did not go well.
If Van de Beek had performed better in Germany for his club, then perhaps he could have been the one taking De Jong’s place in his national team this summer.