'I don't know if de Jong and de Ligt are ready to join Barca'

Speaking at the unveiling of the design for Lusail Stadium, which will host both the tournament opener and the final of the 2022 World Cup, Gullit expressed his doubts as to whether the two starlets are up to the task of joining such a big club.

"I can't say if de Jong and de Ligt are ready to go to Barcelona," he admitted, though he also revealed that his reservations have nothing to do with their talent.

"De Jong is ready to make the jump and play in a big league. De Ligt too, he's doing very well," he continued.

However, rather than both moving to the same country, Gullit believes their differing sytles mean they may be more at home in different leagues.

"De Jong? Spanish football is more open and that suits him. De Ligt is a physical defender and so the Premier League might be a good fit for him," he explained.

"Frenkie has a lot of quality, but that doesn't mean a player is ready to move to Barca. The jump to the Spanish league is a big one."

Keen to impart his own personal experiences, Gullit gave the pair the following piece of advice. "Before joining Real Madrid I always thought that I should spend five years playing in Holland to be able to gain Champions League experience, but that is changing now," he said.

There is quite the queue forming for de Jong's services, with Barcelona, PSG and Manchester City all understood to be very interested in securing his signature.

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