‘He’s in great form’… Ruud Gullit hails Barcelona midfielder for turning around his poor form | OneFootball

There is no doubt that the midfielder Frenkie de Jong has not had an easy 2024-25 season so far. The Barcelona midfielder spent most of the initial part of the season on the sidelines as he was still recovering from an ankle injury that he suffered at the end of the last season.

He made his season debut only in October, but even after recovering, he was unable to play at his best level for some months, which led to a lot of criticism and doubts about his ability to play under Hansi Flick.

However, in recent months, the Dutchman has once again returned back to his best level, and is now one of the regular starters for the Blaugrana coach.

Furthermore, as Mundo Deportivo has reported, his improvements are also being recognised by some of his former critics. One such critic was the former Dutch international and Ballon d’Or winner Ruud Gullit, who appeared in an interview and highlighted his countryman’s performances:

“I have been very critical of him. A few months ago, we thought, ‘Wow, you have become the second option in that midfield,’ but Frenkie has defended himself incredibly well in that area.”

“De Jong has once again become a key player for Barça. He has progressed and become decisive for this team.”

Gullit went on to praise De Jong, and believed his good form for Barcelona will also benefit his national team:

“An incredible compliment for De Jong, for overcoming challenges and playing well, because that’s good for the Dutch national team. A great compliment to him. He plays well, and I’m very happy about it. I truly believe he’s in great form.”

It is a joy to see Frenkie getting back to his best level after the criticism he faced earlier in the season. Hopefully, he will continue to play at the level he has displayed in the last few weeks, as his contributions can prove to be key as the season approaches its decisive phase.