There's genuinely a case to be had for Frenkie De Jong being the 'bargain of the decade'.

The Ajax sensation will be joining Barcelona from 1st July 2019, after signing a contract for the next five seasons, through to 2023/24.

The transfer will cost Barca an initial £65 million and it represents a monumental profit for Ajax, who are the masters of selling players on for high fees after signing them on the cheap and producing the talent themselves.

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But the deal they struck to sign De Jong in 2015 is next level. Incredibly, the Amsterdam sniped him from Willem II for just €1 as well as some players moving on loan in the opposite direction.

Frenkie de Jong



2015: Moved from Willem II to Ajax for €1 and some players on loan

2019: Ajax agrees a fee on a summer transfer with Barcelona for €90 million



That is some price increase over four years! pic.twitter.com/Q32p74kUoK

- Dutch Football (@FootballOranje_) January 22, 2019

A 10% sell-on clause was also inserted in the four-year contract he signed but essentially Ajax signed him for the cost of a locker during a trip to a Spanish water park.

Compare that with the €330 million value of the Juventus' side that De Jong and his teammates beat at the Allianz Stadium and it will boggle your mind.

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Image: PA

Willem II, who are eighth in the Eredivisie, also had Virgil van Dijk in their youth academy many moons ago. They have therefore played a key part in the development of the two most expensive Dutch players in history and deserve a good old pat on the back.

Willem II deserve a lot of credit. Both of Netherlands most expensive players came through at their academy.



Van Dijk and De Jong began in Tilburg, not Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Eindhoven. pic.twitter.com/St8NXdYZJw

- Dutch Football (@FootballOranje_) January 23, 2019

De Jong has been sensational in Ajax's run to the Champions League semi-finals, churning in composed displays beyond his years in tricky second leg ties in Madrid and Turin.

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He's shown already that he's more than capable of playing for Barcelona, who he could well end up coming up against in the final in the Champions League on June 1 if all goes well.

Frenkie de Jong is living his dream. :heart: pic.twitter.com/OXshQTP6DR

- SPORTbible (@sportbible) January 24, 2019

The 21-year old will become the 20th Dutch player to play for Barcelona and it's well-documented that Nike's relationship with the club, which has existed since 1998, was a key factor in De Jong making the switch.

The classy midfielder is a "Nike athlete" and according to ESPN, the American sportswear giant are to cover a "large amount" of his wages during his time at the Nou Camp.

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