Ronald Koeman has urged Barcelona to persevere with Frenkie de Jong.

De Jong is being linked with a move away as he struggles to find a place in Xavi's starting XI.

But Xavi's predecessor Koeman insists: "I believe that Barça does not want to sell Frenkie de Jong.

"Frenkie is a great midfielder. Surely there have been games in which he has not been at his level. But I don't doubt him. Hopefully he will play at that level again, but we have this habit of putting a player at the top. And you have to sell him.

"He has signed for Barça because he is a Culé, it is his team since he was a child."