‘Go home’ – Barcelona star urged to return early from international duty | OneFootball

Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong has on Sunday been sent a message by fellow countryman Rafael van der Vaart.

Midfielder De Jong for his part marked his long-awaited return to international duty last night, in The Netherlands’ Nations League meeting with Hungary.

And, en route to an eventual 4-0 rout, the 27-year-old thoroughly impressed from his berth in the middle of the park.

After a lengthy spell out of action through injury, the Oranje faithful, in turn, were provided with a timely reminder of the difference De Jong can make when firing on all cylinders.

This, though, has not stopped a former member of the Dutch national team setup from urging the Barcelona star to depart the country’s camp before their upcoming meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Speaking on Sunday, in quotes gathered by Diario Sport, the aforementioned Rafael van der Vaart called for De Jong to prioritise his fitness, recommending that the former Ajax man ‘go home’:

“He had a great game, but he can and must be even better. That makes sense. He has achieved a lot, but now he has to stay fit. He is a fantastic player who will benefit us greatly. If it were up to me, I would tell him to go home. He doesn’t need any more trips. He has to be careful with that ankle. It’s quite dangerous. It gets into your head and causes discomfort.”

Conor Laird – GSFN