In his most recent game for the Dutch national side, Frenkie de Jong offered a simple reminder of how good a player he can be to the board of Barcelona.
It’s true that he has flattered to deceive for the blaugrana, and maybe his comments struck a nerve.
De Jong, to his credit, has remained steadfast in not addressing rumours linking him with Manchester United, other than to say he prefers to stay at the Camp Nou.
After his performance against Belgium, where he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch, Joan Laporta would be well within his rights to question whether there are no other players that can be sold to alleviate any perceived financial imbalance.