De Jong: I don’t have to pass the ball if a teammate is being marked, unless that person is Yamal or Messi

October 18th: Barcelona midfielder De Jong was once involved in rumors of leaving the team, but the Dutchman finally stayed on the team and grew into a key member of the team. In an interview, De Jong discussed his salary and role on the field.

De Jong said: "If I'm not facing a defense and I don't have good passing options, then I won't pass the ball because there is no need to pass the ball to the player who is being marked, unless that player is Yamal or Messi."

"When the media started saying that I became one of the highest-paid players in Europe, people started to look at me that way, and they felt that I was overpaid and should leave. Part of the reason for this came from the media. They may say that their information comes from within the club. But ultimately it is them who publishes the information. For example, if the BBC claims that I make 40 million euros a year, it is their responsibility to verify that information and when it is false, I have every right to publicly accuse them of spreading lies, as they did in this case."