Sometimes De Jong is the sole holding midfielder, but often he plays alongside another defensive player, such as Gareth Barry at Manchester City or Mark van Bommel for the Dutch national team.
Terkadang De Jong adalah gelandang bertahan tunggal, tetapi sering dia bermain diduetkan bersama pemain bertahan lainnya, seperti Gareth Barry di Manchester City atau Mark van Bommel untuk tim nasional Belanda.