Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde was allegedly 'against' the signing of Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

During the early months of 2019, it was revealed that the Netherlands international had agreed a long-term deal at Camp Nou.

The former Ajax man has since gone on to make a total of 23 appearances for the Catalan giants, with all but two of those outings coming from the starting lineup.

However, De Telegraaf suggests that Valverde did not necessarily want to sign the 22-year-old, with the board at the Spanish giants instead pushing through the big-money addition.

The report also adds that it was De Jong who initially approached Barcelona regarding a potential transfer at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

There is a further claim that the player is frustrated with not being deployed in what he feels is his natural position by Valverde, instead being left to feel that he is 'playing with a handbrake on'.