Barcelona fans turn on Frenkie de Jong at Camp Nou

Frenkie de Jong was subjected to a frosty reception from sections of the Barcelona fanbase on Wednesday evening during the club's annual squad presentation ahead of the Joan Gamper Trophy match at the Camp Nou.

The Dutch midfielder, who has long split opinion among Barcelona supporters, was greeted with a mixture of applause and audible boos and whistles as he was introduced to the crowd prior to kick-off.

A relationship that has soured for years

The name of De Jong reemerged as a prominent one in the media chatter surrounding Barcelona once more this summer. After the former Ajax man played a full part in the Netherlands' campaign at the World Cup, his return to the Catalan capital revealed a serious knee injury. De Jong was subsequently ruled out for the opening months of the upcoming campaign.

The situation was reported to have gone down poorly behind the scenes at Barcelona, with De Jong accused of poor decision-making and judgement regarding his own wellbeing. According to Get Spanish Football News, that episode only deepened the complex relationship between the 29-year-old and the Blaugrana faithful.

"Upon the midfielder making his way onto the pitch on Wednesday, such supporters therefore took full advantage of the opportunity to take aim at De Jong," the report noted. "Specifically, upon the Dutchman being presented at the Camp Nou prior to kick-off in the Joan Gamper Trophy, alongside applause, he was targeted with boos and whistles."

De Jong has for years been the subject of debate among Barcelona supporters, many of whom have repeatedly called for his sale. Wednesday's reception suggests that frustration remains firmly entrenched as the new season approaches.