Ajax youngsters Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt are good enough to start for Barcelona, claims Netherlands great Ronald de Boer – who played for both clubs.

Centre midfielder De Jong, 21, and centre-back De Ligt, 19, are the latest starlets off the production line in Amsterdam. Such form has seen them linked with moves to Camp Nou.

Speaking to SPORT, De Boer – who headed to Catalonia along with brother Frank in January 1999 – extolled their virtues.

He said: “He [De Jong] is a footballer for whom you go to a stadium to watch him play. He is one of those who makes the differences and is still very young.

“De Ligt is also great. Both of them would be starters at Barcelona, without any problems.”

Versatile midfielder De Boer, 48, scored three times in 54 appearances for Barca from 1999-2000.