Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong has revealed that he turned down the chance to join Tottenham Hotspur in last summer's transfer window.
De Jong, who is regarded as one of the best young midfielders in European football, will join Barcelona this summer having agreed a long-term contract with the Spanish champions.
The 21-year-old, however, has claimed that he could have been turning out for Tottenham, with the London club making an offer for him ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
"The moment wasn't right. I wasn't finished at Ajax, as I hadn't yet played a full season in my own position. I was also injured in that period, so I was thinking, 'Not yet'. I felt I should stay for another year at Ajax, or perhaps longer," De Jong told FourFourTwo.
"I considered [Spurs'] offer long and hard. I see Tottenham as a very stable club, and they are only getting better. They give young players a chance and I see Mauricio Pochettino as a manager who really improves young players. I like the kind of football they are playing. I think it would have suited my game."
De Jong, who is a seven-time Netherlands international, has scored four times in 40 appearances for Ajax this season.
Matt Law
