De Jong: "It wouldn't be sensible for me to take Cruyff's No.14 shirt"
“As soon as you take that squad number, the only thing you achieve is being immediately compared and I think I should keep away from that”, the Barça midfielder said.
Frenkie de Jong now knows what it means for a Dutch player to sign for Barcelona. Johan Cruyff, the legendary footballer and coach who Ajax renamed their stadium after - the stadium where De Jong still plays, is intimately and eternally linked with his new club.
Not wise to encourage comparison to the great Johan Cruyff
However, De Jong has made it absolutely clear that when he finally arrives at Camp Nou on 1 July, he's not going to make any decision he might later regret. Many have voiced their wish that he takes up the number 14 shirt for his debut season as an azulgrana. The player insists he won't be doing that. “It would be very sensible. From the moment you take that squad number, the only thing you achieve is instant comparison and I think I should be keeping myself far away from anything like that”, the 21-year-old told Voetbal Primeur in declarations picked up by Sport.
De Jong announced last Wednesday that he would be joining Barcelona, who will pay Ajax 86 million euros (75 million plus 11 in add-ons) for the player, who has caused tremendous expectation in the Condal City and who was on the wishlist of several of Europe's top clubs. He will be in the spotlight when Ajax take on Real Madrid in next month's Champions League Last 16 tie.
