Barcelona believe star player might be stalling contract extension talks in order to leave as free-agent: Reports
Barcelona are reportedly suspecting that their star midfielder Frenkie de Jong is intentionally delaying his contract talks with the club. The Catalan giants believe the Dutchman could be eyeing a Camp Nou exit on a free transfer next summer when his contract expires, as per SPORT (via Barca News Network).
Hansi Flick has enjoyed a stellar start to his tenure at Barcelona but the German manager is set to face a major headache. As many as 11 of his players have their contracts expiring in the next two years, putting the club in a tight corner.
Frenkie de Jong is one of those 11 players, with his current contract expiring in 2026. As per the aforementioned report, the Blaugrana fear losing the former Ajax star on a free transfer.
Barca have reportedly made several attempts to tie De Jong down with a new deal but have failed in their attempts. Now they believe that he could be intentionally delaying contract talks as he wants to leave on a free when his contract expires.
Losing De Jong on a free would be a massive setback for Barcelona who have been struggling financially for a few years now. The Dutchman joined the club from Ajax in 2019 in a reported €75 million deal and is still only 27 years of age.
De Jong is one of the highest earners at Camp Nou and on top of that, he receives a significant amount as deferred payments. The Catalan giants still owe him a lot from the pandemic era, which they reportedly want to spread out in the next contract.
De Jong has made 219 appearances for Barca till date, scoring 17 goals and providing 21 assists. He has won three trophies during his time at the club but has not truly justified his massive price tag.
Over the years, De Jong has not been able to establish himself as a key player for Barcelona and has only started one game this season. Having missed the start of the season with an ankle injury, it remains to be seen whether he can convince Hansi Flick to use him as a regular starter.
Barcelona reject offers from Liverpool, Arsenal and three other clubs for midfield sensation: Reports
Barcelona have reportedly rejected offers from a host of clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool for young midfielder Marc Casado. The 21-year-old has been phenomenal for the Catalan giants this season in what has been his breakthrough campaign.
Casado only made five appearances for Barca before this season but has been almost ever-present this season. With the club struggling with an injury crisis in midfield, Casado was given a chance by Hansi Flick and grabbed his opportunity in the best possible manner.
The 21-year-old has made the number six position of his own and has also provided five assists in 14 appearances. As reported by Spanish media outlet El Nacional, Casado's form attracted interest from a host of clubs from across Europe.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) all reportedly made offers for the youngster. However, Barcelona have reportedly made it clear that they won't sell the Spaniard unless his €100 million release clause is met.