Two years ago, members of Frenkie de Jong’s family were in Manchester scouting out properties. A transfer from Ajax to play under Pep Guardiola was moving apace.
This was the central midfielder who Manchester City wanted to take over from Fernandinho. Aged only 21, De Jong was the fulcrum of an Ajax side who would unexpectedly reach that season’s Champions League semi-finals.
His girlfriend jetted into the North West to find a house in which they could start a new life. Then Barcelona called and everything changed. Guardiola knows better than anybody the pull his boyhood club possess for players on the continent.