Barcelona midfielder has asked about Saudi Arabia to his national teammate, claims director | OneFootball

It is no secret that Barcelona are gearing up for an important 2026, with the club expected to have a busy summer transfer window.

With the Financial Fair Play overhang still present, the club might resort to the sale of at least one big player in order to generate the margins required to return to the 1:1 rule.

For the longest time, Frenkie de Jong had been seen as someone who could leave Barcelona, and the midfielder had even been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the past.

De Jong inquired about Saudi Arabia

In a fresh twist, though, Al Ittihad sporting director Ramon Planes has revealed that De Jong has already inquired about life in Saudi Arabia to his national teammate and Al Ittihad player Steven Bergwijn.

“Frenkie asked me how I’m doing here,” Planes told Catalunya Radio (h/t Mundo Deportivo), citing Al Ittihad player Bergwijn.

Will De Jong look for a move to Saudi Arabia in the future? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

As a Dutch international, Bergwijn and De Jong have played together in the past, and it appears the Barcelona star has a good relationship with the former Tottenham star.

However, Planes clarified that De Jong’s enquiry does not mean he wants to immediately settle for a move to Saudi Arabia. He said it was a ‘matter of curiosity’.

“It doesn’t mean he wants to leave Barça, but it does mean that he surely has the possibility of playing football in Saudi Arabia open in his mind,” he added.

After all, De Jong has only recently renewed his contract at Barcelona and is seen as an integral part of Hansi Flick’s plans for the team..l