De Jong intends to be like Messi and 'never leave' Barcelona as he prepares for 75m move
The 21-year-old, who has starred for Ajax since stepping out of a famed academy system in Amsterdam, is readying himself for a high-profile switch.
A €75 million (£66m/$85m) transfer has been put in place and will be pushed through in the summer window.
De Jong is excited to be fulfilling a childhood dream of representing the Blaugrana and is hoping to follow in some illustrious footsteps once he arrives in Catalunya.
He told Het Kontakt of a long-running saga which saw his future called into question on a regular basis before Barca finally got their man: Initially the interest went through my agent, who talked to the clubs, but when it became more serious, I came in.
Paris Saint-Germain was a good option, but Barcelona has always been a dream, and I'm happy with my five-year contract.
If I succeed, then the chances are that I will never leave, just like Messi.
De Jong will officially become a Barcelona player on July 1.
Once the formalities of a move are finalised, he can then prepare himself for a new challenge in La Liga.
He already has the shirt number in mind that he would like to fill at Camp Nou, but no decision has been taken as yet regarding the name which will appear on his jersey.
In July I sign my official contract in Barcelona and I am also being presented to the fans and the press, added De Jong.
Playing with 21 would be
The selection for the new season is not yet known so I'll have to wait and see.
There is an idea to play with
Whatever he goes with, big things are expected of De Jong, with Barcelona looking for a man they acquired amid considerable interest from the likes of PSG and Manchester City to hit the ground running in new surroundings and further unlock his undoubted potential.
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