Ronald Koeman Confirms Barcelona January Approach, Talks Frenkie de Jong

Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has confirmed Barcelona spoke to him in January about replacing former head coach Ernesto Valverde. 

The Catalan giants ultimately replaced Valverde with Quique Setien after letting slip a winning position to lose 3-2 to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.

Per Goal's Sam France, former Barca player Koeman was asked whether the club approached him: "Yes. I said 'no' because I am with the national team."

Koeman has been in charge of the Netherlands since 2018, and this summer he'll take charge of the team at a major tournament for the first time at UEFA Euro 2020, having guided them to the UEFA Nations League final last year.

Setien had been out of work since he left Real Betis at the end of last season. Squawka's Muhammad Butt was pleased with the 61-year-old's work in February:

Under their coach, Barca play with a slower tempo and tend to dominate possession much more, but the team have sometimes lacked a cutting edge despite recording two 5-0 wins.

The Spanish champions won seven of his first nine games in charge before drawing 1-1 at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League and losing 2-0 to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.

Football broadcaster Juan G. Arango was critical of Setien after the defeat, in which Barca dominated the first half but failed to take their chances:

Frenkie de Jong has remained a regular fixture in the team under the new manager, and Koeman gave his take on his compatriot's start to life at the Camp Nou:

"De Jong plays a lot at Barca, and that is positive.

"But he is playing in a different position than he is used to. But that is the decision of the coach.

"He's very young, and from playing games, you learn a lot of things. But I think he plays differently with me in the national team."

The midfielder appeared to be a natural fit at Barca, whom he joined from Ajax last summer for an initial €75 million.

He has made 36 appearances, 32 of them starts, so game time has not been an issue.

However, he has had to perform a different role to the one he played at Ajax and has struggled somewhat, as Barcelona blogger Kevin Williams and football writer Zach Lowy have observed:

De Jong served as Ajax's deep-lying playmaker and excelled in that role, but Sergio Busquets' presence in the side has necessitated he be used further forward so they don't occupy the same space, per football writer Graham Ruthven.

The midfielder is only 22, though, and he signed a five-year deal at the Camp Nou when he joined the club.

Busquets has been a vital player for Barca over the years, but he'll be 32 this summer. Therefore, De Jong should receive more opportunities to play in his preferred role as the team transitions away from Busquets in the coming seasons.