De Jong: When I talk to Messi about football 'he mainly indicates what he wants'

De Jong signed for Barcelona last summer, leaving Ajax to join the star-studded side at the Camp Nou.

The Dutch midfielder has scored 2 goals and provided four assists in the six months since his official unveiling in a Barcelona shirt.

He says he enjoys the city, but prefers to focus on his football.

"The weather is nice every day, you have a lot of good eateries," he told NOS.

"And of course everyone wants to come to Barcelona to visit. I have heard those stories in advance and have been warned. But my family knows what I need.

"I have been [to Las Ramblas] sometimes, but especially before I came here to play football."

De Jong says that adjusting to Barcelona's football philosophy wasn't a huge leap from that of Ajax.

"Ajax and Barcelona have the same idea about football," he said.

"Of course, Barcelona is better and there are some players who are individually better. But with Ajax we also achieved a very high level last season. That is why the transition is not super big."

The 22-year-old even revealed his encounters with Lionel Messi and their conversations about football.

"Of course I sometimes talk to him," he added.

"But it is not that I sit down with him for half an hour and talk about football very substantively. I don't do that with other players and I didn't do that at Ajax either.

"During a conversation like this, he mainly indicates what he wants. It is not that I am the person who will indicate to him how I want him to play!"

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