Barcelona afraid that superstar could decide to leave for free when contract ends - Reports
There are concerns that Frenkie de Jong will run down his contract with Barcelona and leave as a free agent in 2026, according to Spanish outlet Relevo.
Barcelona forked out an initial sum of €75 million to acquire De Jong's services from Ajax in 2019. The relationship between the two parties, though, deteriorated ahead of the 2022-23 season.
In an attempt to ease their financial constraints, the Blaugrana tried to force the midfielder out of the club. They even agreed on an €85 million deal with Manchester United seemingly against the player's will in the summer.
When De Jong refused to leave, Barcelona reportedly threatened to take him to court, citing that the contract he signed at the time of his arrival was illegal. Despite their best efforts, the player ended up staying at Camp Nou for the season.
The Catalans appear to have now changed their stance on the Netherlands international. With Sergio Busquets nearing the end of his career, they view him as an important asset to the team.
De Jong, 25, has featured in all but one of their 14 La Liga matches so far this season. With two goals and an assist to his name, he has helped the side claim a place at the top of the La Liga table.
It is worth noting that Xavi's side also tried to persuade the player to take a wage cut in the summer. They are now prepared to respect his contract and will reportedly not ask him to lower his salary again.
However, De Jong has still not come to terms with how the Catalonian giants treated him in the summer, according to the aforementioned source. He could thus let his contract expire and leave as a free agent in the summer of 2026.
Situación De Jong:
-El FCB no le pedirá rebaja salarial
-Ahora se le considera jugador estructural: y más con el adiós de ‘Busi’
-Frenkie sigue enfadado por lo de verano. Miedo a que quiera expirar su contrato e irse.
-United y Liverpool, atentos.
relevo.com/futbol/liga-pr…
To add to Barcelona's woes, the Dutchman's agent Ali Dursun is also not on good terms with them. It now remains to be seen if the club can repair their relationship with the player and his advisor.
Barcelona midfielder De Jong is not short of options
De Jong is certainly not short of options if he decides to leave Camp Nou in the near future. According to Relevo journalist Toni Juanmarti, Liverpool and Manchester United are keeping tabs on the midfielder's situation in Catalonia.
However, the former Ajax star appears to be focused on completing the season with Barcelona as things stand. As per the report, his representatives will not listen to offers until at least the end of the campaign.