De Jong says Abdelhak Nouri gave him ‘signal’ to join Barcelona while in coma before Ajax star completed transfer
FRENKIE DE JONG has claimed Abdelhak Nouri gave him a “signal” to join Barcelona despite being in a coma. The pair have been friends since their days in Holland’s youth system, with Nouri even convincing De Jong to join him at Ajax early in his career. But in 2017, Nouri suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack […]
FRENKIE DE JONG has claimed Abdelhak Nouri gave him a “signal” to join Barcelona despite being in a coma.
The pair have been friends since their days in Holland’s youth system, with Nouri even convincing De Jong to join him at Ajax early in his career.
But in 2017, Nouri suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack and fell into a coma during a friendly against Werder Bremen.
Nouri’s brother has now given everyone a positive update, revealing he is awake, home and communicating.
And now Barcelona star De Jong has revealed he only completed his £65million move to the Nou Camp last January thanks to a sign from his old friend.
De Jong recalled: “At the time, I was still unsure where to go.
“Then Appie’s mother came in and asked him: ‘Where should Frenkie go?’
“She named the clubs and said, ‘Should he go to Barcelona?’
“Then Appie signalled with his eyebrows to agree. That was a very nice moment for me and the family.”
In the same interview, De Jong also revealed Nouri was behind his move from former club Willem II to Ajax in the first place.
If it hadn’t been for Nouri, the now-Barcelona star may have been sent down a different path, having been on the radar of PSV Eindhoven.
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De Jong continued: “I had decided that I would leave Willem II, then I happened to have a tournament in Greece with the Under-19’s.
“Appie said to me: ‘No, you have to come to Ajax. Then we can all play there. What are you going to do at PSV? Just come to Ajax.’
“He talked to me a lot.”